Hi--I'm interested in hearing some expert opinions about early fall pruning, like very early in Nov. Normally, pruning is recommended in the two-month window between mid-Dec., and mid--Feb. Would upping it 6 weeks be a bad idea, or does it matter since the weather will be cooler, anyway unless there are out-of-season warm days.

I was going to copy the information on the two local societies in your area -- both very good when I last interacted with them . . . But the American Rose Society website won't allow you to do that.

But you can find them at:
https://www.rose.org/local-ros...

. . . and you should be able to get all of the most complete information you need.

I always adhere to the mid-Dec-mid-Feb pruning in coastal Santa Barbara. The only thing I can say about early pruning is that the folks at the Tournament of Roses Wrigley garden in Pasadena always prune their roses early, so as to get a great showing on Jan 1. I spent the first 31 years of my life in Pasadena. I don't know the climate in Sacramento, but I'm assuming it isn't hugely different. Just a thought.

Thank you, jerijem and Susan.. Sacramento's early frost date normally varies from the first week of Nov. to the first week of Dec., and the late frost date is usually in Feb., but can come as late as March 28. Last year, I think it only had one or two nights at 32 F. We have no hard frosts, and the temps any winter rarely get into the 20's, always being in Jan-Feb. Guess it must be significantly warmer in Pasadena, although with my own roses, I enjoy late Dec. blooms in my yard, sometimes being able to bring in a bouquet for Christmas. This question is being asked for the small public rose garden I volunteer at as I was offered help for early Nov. After I posted this, I sent an e-mail to one local master gardener with the question for confirmation pro or con, and they said it could be done, but not to put down fertilizer until Feb.

Susan in SB . . . Ah! You need to visit Sacramento!

Its summer is MUCH hotter than ours along the SoCal coast, and the winters are colder. I've visited in all the seasons, so I can attest to the differences.

Prune one or two and see what happens. I'm in 5b and pruned last fall and had great roses this summer. Normally we prune in March or April.

Good advice, Paul. I may do that with my own roses.

Hi, Rosemary, I try to follow Mikinley rose garden pruning schedule, Early January.
However I do pruning some early for rooting in November. I do not see big difference though.

Rosemary, if your low temps are usually 32-ish, and you rarely get into the 20s, early pruning won't make any difference. Jeri, I am quite familiar with inland temps being hotter and colder, Pasadena being a great example, but based on Rosemary's description, I'd say she has nothing to worry about. Even in Jeri and my coastal climates, we have friends who are "just over the hill" with more extreme temps. I always advise my friend on the San Marcos Pass to prune in February. But it just doesn't get cold enough to be concerned about new rose growth even if we/they get a frost.