September is the start of fall season for the Lowcountry, although the temperatures usually continue to mimic summer temperatures. Knowing that our best blooms will occur in October, we usually do our fall “trimming/pruning” at the end of August and first of September depending on the timing of
fall shows.

Your trimming/cutback should be done in early September for fall shows and garden display. It takes about 6 to 8 weeks in the fall for roses to bloom after a stem has been cut. The fluctuations in time are due to weather and the shorter days that limit the amount of sunshine.

Cycle times will be affected by weather and shorter days. An unusual hot spell will speed up the blooms while an unexpected cool spell will slow up the blooms. Other factors influencing the bloom cycle will include temperature, amount of available moisture, extent that the plant was trimmed back, size of the stem where the cut was made, and maturity or immaturity of the bud eye.

The actual pruning cuts should not be made as low as the spring cuts, but can be made within the space where the first cycle occurred and should be made on stems larger than a pencil. Be sure to clean out all the small non-productive stems and any stems that are crossing the center of the bush.

When attempting to time roses for fall shows, some generalities apply. Large roses generally need between 40 to 55 days to cycle. If you want to have roses for our show, the cutting back needs to be done around the first week of Sept. If you prune in early Sept., you should have some beautiful blooms in mid-to late October. Miniature roses cycle quicker, generally 30 to 42 days with mini singles cycling in 30 to 35 days.

‘Lynette’ and ‘Uncle Joe’ are two of the slowest. Varieties with fewer petals cycle faster than those with lots of petals. Some that take 60 to 55 include ‘Uncle Joe’, ‘Lynette’, Moonstone, & Folklore. Average roses that take around 40 to 55 days include ‘Elizabeth Taylor’, ‘Keepsake’, ‘Olympiad’, ‘Sheer Bliss’, & ‘Touch of Class’. Light petaled varieties ‘Pristine’, ‘Double Delight’, ‘White Masterpiece’ and ‘Christian Dior’ will cycle in roughly 45 to 50 days.

Miniature roses cycle faster than the large roses. In the summer, they will repeat bloom in 30 to 35 days. But, in the cooler fall when the days are shorter, they may take between 35 to 40 days.