8. Pruning dos and don’ts
In southern Ontario, where the forsythias rarely bloom before the last hard frost has passed, the rule of thumb is to prune roses when the forsythia are in bloom. In more northern climes, prune before the rose starts growing again in the spring, after the buds are good and swollen. Shrub roses, the most common type in colder areas, just need to have any dead wood removed. Otherwise, they don’t need pruning.