February is time to prune rose bushes

In Southern California, winter is usually short and sometimes confusing. Winter for some plant life is a time of withdrawal that precedes renewal. For roses, it is necessary to help them in that process. Now is the time to perform a few procedures to help reset the hormonal clock and get them ready for a great year of rose blooms. That's the main purpose for pruning.

According to all accounts and experienced rosarians, the proper time is "late winter." This designation has many meanings in an area like Southern California which has numerous weather zones. The important thing is to prune late e...