---
title: 'How to Prune Your Roses in 4 Easy Steps'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=J6la_YikkQc'
video_id: 'J6la_YikkQc'
date: 2026-08-18
duration_sec: 166
channel: 'Gardenerd'
---

# How to Prune Your Roses in 4 Easy Steps

> Source: [How to Prune Your Roses in 4 Easy Steps](https://youtube.com/watch?v=J6la_YikkQc)

## Summary

Christy Wilhelmi from Gardenerd presents a straightforward, low-budget guide to pruning roses in four simple steps. The video emphasizes that roses thrive from proper pruning and provides clear, actionable instructions for gardeners of all levels.

### Key Points

- **Preparation** [00:01] — Wear sleeves and gloves to protect yourself from rose thorns before starting.
- **Step 1: Remove Dead Wood** [00:18] — Cut away all dead canes to reveal the plant's skeletal structure, making further pruning easier. Roses thrive from this experience.
- **Step 2: Remove Crossing Canes** [00:54] — Cut down horizontal canes that grow into the center or cross each other to prevent rubbing and promote healthy growth.
- **Testing for Life** [01:21] — If unsure whether a cane is dead, cut into it—if it's green, it's still alive.
- **Step 3: Cut to Outward-Facing Bud** [01:33] — Trim vertical canes back to an outward-facing bud to encourage outward growth and an open shape.
- **Step 4: Make 45-Degree Cuts** [02:04] — Cut at a 45-degree angle, angled away from the bud, so rain runs off and prevents rot. Glue on cuts is optional.

### Conclusion

Pruning roses in four simple steps—removing dead wood, clearing crossing canes, cutting to outward buds, and making angled cuts—keeps plants healthy and thriving. With minimal tools and effort, anyone can maintain beautiful roses.

## Transcript

Hi, I'm Christy Wilhelmi from Gardenerd and this is a low budget rose pruning video. So here we are, we have our roses, and there are 4 steps.
Well, before I start, first thing is you need to wear sleeves and gloves because roses can So, starting with a rose. It may feel harsh but it's the right thing to do.
Roses actually thrive from this experience. I'm not kidding. So, after you do that to your whole plant you'll be able to see the skeletal structure
of it and it will make it much easier to prune. #2: cut down with your pruning shears all of the horizontal canes that are growing into the center of the plant or kind of out and
You don't want any rubbing happening. So I'm going to take off some of these things. I'm just going to take this right off.
If you can't tell what's dead, cut into it. If it's green, it's still alive.
So I'm going to take this back and cut back some of these other guys. But this rose is pretty open already, so I'm not doing too much to it. So the third thing you do is cut back your vertical canes to an outward facing bud.
So for example, I've got and inward facing bud here and an outward facing bud here. I'm going to take this back and I'm going to cut on an angle from here.
And the 4th thing you need to know is to make that cut on a 45 degree angle and you want so if you imagine, if you will, rain is falling on the bud.
So that should help you figure it out. Some people put dabs of glue on their cut ends, but you don't have to do that.
That's it, so for more information about growing roses, cutting roses and whole bunch of other And if you like this video, like, subscribe and share it with your friends. Happy Gardening.