Prune to Bloom Times (Not Prune to Show Time)

by Harold Baker (2005 Updated Version)

reformatted for web display


These are my "best guess" pruning dates. All of these varieties are ones that I have grown in Central Florida although my small garden now contains only a small fraction of them. I will be using these times in my own garden for my fall pruning.

People should not expect these numbers to be infallible. The way that I would use them would be to first pick their target date to cut the bloom. In my case I target the Wednesday prior to the show since I have excellent refrigeration and can hold blooms cut a couple of days either side of this target date. In other words, I can cut blooms from Monday through Friday and hold them satisfactorily. A person with no refrigeration might want to make the Friday prior to the Saturday show their target date. I would take a calendar and put zero on my target date and then pencil in on each preceding date the number of days that that date is prior to the target date.

If you live in a comparable climate I would plan on pruning 1/3 of the canes of a variety 5 days prior to the "pruning days date", an additional l/3 of the canes on the "pruning days date", and the final 1/3 of the canes 5 days after that date. I believe that this procedure will compensate for most of the variables and allow the person to have a high degree of probability of having blooms of that variety available at the time of the show. If you live in a cooler climate (I can't imagine anyone living in a hotter one) the correct dates will be longer. Hopefully, you will already know the correct pruning dates for a few varieties grown in your yard. Let us say that you know the correct pruning dates for three varieties in your garden and they are 9, 5, and 7 days longer than I have shown for my yard. This averages out to 7 days.

For your use I would add 7 days to the dates that I have shown. Keep track in your garden this fall and, in the future, modify my times to fit your situation.

Hybrid Teas     Floribundas    OGRs     English Roses     Mini Floras     Miniatures

   
HYBRID TEAS
Name Days Color
Affirm 43 mp
Andrea Stelzer 56 lp
Angela Lansbury 41 pb
Anne Morrow Lindbergh 42 ph
Big Time 42 dp
Brandenburg Gate 48 rb
Brides Dream 36 lp
Brooks Red 45 mr
Cajun Moon 41 w
Cajun Sunrise 40 pb
Cesar E. Chavez 42 dr
Classic Beauty 38 pb
Classic Touch 49 lp
Color Magic 42 pb
Crystalline 47 w
Distant Sounds 45 pb
Dr Bob Harvey 42 lp
Dublin 43 mr
Elizabeth Taylor 56 dp
Gemini 40 pb
Helen Naude 43 w
Hot Princess 41 dp
lmperatice Farah 55 w
Jean Baker 49 w
Special Merit 31 mr
Spring Break 45 dp
Stainless Steel 43 m
Steppin' Out 39 mp
Sunset Celebration 48 ab
Timeless (White) 42 ly
Tineke 36 w
Touch of Class 49 op
Uncle Joe 55 dr
Veteran's Honor 41 dr
Virginia 34 w
FLORIBUNDAS
Name Days Color
Apricot Nechtar 57
Charlotte Arm 40 m
Europeana 55 dr
Hannah Gordon 60 pb
Heaven on Earth 54 ab
Ivory Fashion 45 w
Miss Ada 40 lp
Playgirl 40 mp
Sun Flare 48 my
 
OGR
Franes Dubreuil 48
Maggie 53
Mrs. B.R. Cant 44 mp
Paul Neyron trip 40
Pink Pet 60 mp
Rose de Rescht 46 dp
Souvenir de la Malmaison 48
Sombreuil 50 w
Souv de la Malmaison 46 lp
The Green Rose 55 g
Waldfee 47 mr
 
ENGLISH ROSES
Belle Story 53 lp
English Garden 53 ab
Heritage 60 lp
Jude the Obscure 60 my
L.D. Braithwaite 55
The Prince 59 dr
MINIATURES
Name Days Color
Anna Marie 35 yb
Arcanum 40 ab
Autumn Splendor 32 yb
Bee's Knees 42 yb
Behold 39
Black Jade 28 dr
Breath of Spring 35 my
Carolina Lady 41 mr
Carrot Top 34 ob
Chelsea Belle 38 mr
Childs Play 35 w
Dancing Flame 34 yv
Doris Morgan 33 dp
Dreamer 35 tnp
Erin Alonso 39 my
Fairhope 42 ly
Figurine 31 w
Florida International 39 ab
Giggles 42 mp
Glowing Amber 32 rb
Grace Seward 39 w
Hilde 31 rb
Hot Tamale 35 yb
Incognito 38 m
Irresistible 41 w
Jean Kenneally 37 ab
Jennifer 32 pb
Jumping Jack Flash 42 yb
June Laver 35 dy
Just For You 33 dp
Kitty Hawk 44 pb
Kristin 39 rb
Lavender Sweetheart 34 m
Marie Jeannette 39 yb
Merlot 35 rb
Michel Cholet 34 ab
Miss Charleston 34 m
Mister Sam 34 yb
Miss Flippins 36 mr
Mitchie's Gold 34 dy
Montrose 35 mp
Mothers Love 36 pb
Nancy Jean 35 ab
Odessa 34 rn
Old Glory 38 mr
Olympic Gold 37 ly
Party Girl 46 yb
Pierrine 35 op
Rainbow's End 35 yb
Ruby 41 mr
Ruby Baby 35 rb
Sam Trivitt 34 ab
Snow Bride 35 w
Soroptomist Int'l 39 pb
Sweet Caroline 32 rbv
Sweet Home Alabama 35 pb
Sweet Melody 34 ab
Tangerine Twist 41 ob
This Is The Day 33 r
Tropical Twist 40 ab
X-Rated 37 ph
MINIFLORAS
Name Days Color
Bella Via 36 w
Butter Cream 38 my
Cachet 35 w
Camden 39 rb
Charismatic 37 rb
Class of 73 36 pb
Conundrum 40 yb
Dr. John Dickman 41 in
Foolish Pleasure 39 pb
Lady E'owyn 43 pb
Louisville Lady 33 dp
Memphis King 45 dr
Memphis Music 38 dr
Peter Cottontail 37 w
Solar Flair 34 yb
Tiffany Lite 38 w
Tiffany Lynn 38 ph