Will pruning my Rose Hedges damage them?

Question

I have rose hedges. They are about 5 - 6 yrs old. Does anyone know if they can be pruned back and when? They seem to be popping out all over the front yard which is no big deal, but the thorns are extremely fine and hurt. I just want to trim them up so they represent a hedge.

Answer 1

Pruning can only improve them. I have seen a well known Australian gardening expert prune his roses with a chainsaw! He just cut a clean 6-8 inches evenly along the top of the mass planting of roses.

Answer 2

No, it should not damage them if you are careful while trimming. Be sure to trim on the outer parts of the plant and not too close to the actual stem it branches off of. If you are planning to do them, do it later at night when the sun is not as warm, and away from a really hot day!