THE COASTAL GARDENER:

“Hold on just a couple of minutes,” I said to my wife as she was getting the English muffin out of the refrigerator. “I need to prune a couple of roses.”

I like my English muffin toasted with a little strawberry jam on top, and I knew it wouldn’t take her long to have my morning delicacy ready. I grabbed my Felco’s, and outside I went. Before the English muffin had even cooled down, I was back inside, the job completed.

Please repeat after me, until you have broken free of any devilish misunderstandings you might have about your annual rose-pruning chores: “Rose pruning is easy. Rose pruning is simple. Rose pruning is quick.”

What is it that makes us such disciples to a legion of rose-pruning rules? Why do we have such an addiction to rose-pruning higher authorities, and why do we need such unwavering structure when we approach a rose with shears in hand? We must not stray from the rules — we must comply!

On the morning that you will be reading this, I’ll be teaching several eager students how to prune their roses. I must not disappoint them. I must give them structure and rules, lots of rules; a step-by-step process, with no room for error. They will press me for specific techniques and will want precise rulings; no approximations. They will prefer terms like “never,” “exactly” and “always” and shun such utterings as “it doesn’t really matter” or “use your judgment.”

If I use the words “probably,” “sometimes” or “about” at any time while conducting my rose pruning soliloquy, I might be issued a restraining order. I will be prohibited from approaching within 10 feet of a rose during the following 12 months. I must be cautious with my words. I must rehearse carefully.

So for those who need structure and discipline when heading into this weekend’s annual pruning chore, please continue

“Exactly what time of day on the 13th should we prune?”

My studies have shown that 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. produces the best results, unless you are left-handed, when 11:30 to noon is far superior.

“Precisely how long should each pruned cane be?”

I find the following formula for cane length (CL) quite helpful, where BR = the total biomass of the rose in kg., AY = the age of the rose in years, CC = the circumference of the vascular cambium at 20 cm from the root flare and GA = the gardener’s blood-alcohol content at the time of pruning.

“To what degree, minute and second of arc shall I set my digital stem angle finder?”

Results show that 62 degrees is the proper angle of the cut. But be sure to include the declination adjustment for Orange County at 13.4 degrees.

“Is it better to face east or west when approaching the plant?”

West, of course.

“Do we breathe in or out on the down stroke when we cut?”

Recent research at Caltech clearly indicates that a gentle out breath at the precise moment the blade strikes the stem’s epidermis produces a superior cut.

For the rest of you, remove any dead or damaged canes as well as any that cross through the middle of the plant; remove a few of the oldest canes, replacing them with new canes; then cut the plant back about one-half to two-thirds. Now, go eat your warm English muffin with strawberry jam.

ASK RON

Question: Peaches on my Mid-Pride tree are mealy and lacking in flavor. Please recommend the best peach tree for the Newport area. Thanks.

Ruth

Newport Beach

Answer: Although I have never grown Mid-Pride myself, it is often suggested as one of the best-flavored and best-producing peaches for our climate. So I’m a bit dumbfounded as to why yours is mealy and without good flavor.

Alternatively, my personal favorite home orchard peach for our climate is Babcock. It’s a white freestone, with smallish fruit, but is a heavy producer with great flavor (a sweet and smooth flesh). It’s great in our coastal climate. My next choice would be one called Ventura, a yellow freestone, also with great flavor and perfect in our mild, coastal climate.

ASK RON your toughest gardening questions, and the expert nursery staff at Roger’s Gardens will come up with an answer. Please include your name, phone number and city, and limit queries to 30 words or fewer. E-mail [email protected], or write to Plant Talk at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar, CA 92625.

RON VANDERHOFF is the Nursery Manager at Roger’s Gardens, Corona del Mar