Schedule:
Thanksgiving - Prune hip high to prevent damage from winter winds
Presidents' Day through St. Patrick's Day - Major pruning
Tax Day (April 15th) - Fertilize, use a complete fertilizer and follow directions
Father's Day - Fertilize, use a complete fertilizer and follow directions
Early August - Fertilize, use a complete fertilizer and follow directions
 
Major Pruning in Spring:
Remove any dead, diseased or dying wood.
Remove any spindly (less than pencil-thick) from the base.
Remove any suckers (see pics).
Leave 5 -7 healthy newer canes at the base.
Remove any stems that are growing into other stems or the center of the plant.
 
Summer Care:
Dead-head, remove spent flowers regularly, cut stem to a bud (bump) don't worry about the leaflets.
Water, 1" per week, try to keep the foliage dry by using drip irrigation or a soaker hose.
Check for pests and diseases, try the least toxic method first. Contact us for help.