Rose Pruning with Dan Bifano
Master Rosarian Dan Bifano – Montecito’s internationally renowned rose expert – shared his sage knowledge about everything roses at Casa del Herrero (CDH) in conjunction with the Garden Club of Santa Barbara (GCSB), on Monday morning, January 19. The collaboration with Bifano, GCSB, and CDH was initiated by Mari McAlister, member of GCSB and prior board member at CDH.
Bifano has been featured in my news column for the Montecito Journal. He is known and respected for his expertise in cultivating spectacular roses via his signature plant fertilizer mix, pruning tips, and of course his intuitive relationship with roses.
At the event, CDH Executive Director Natalie Sanderson shared, “The legacy of Carrie Robb Howard Steedman’s (1874-1962), the wife of George Fox Steedman (1871-1940), passion for gardening and the power of nature we continue to honor with the rose cutting garden and all the beautiful gardens at CDH. It was such a delightful and educational time pruning the roses with Dan Bifano’s skillful instruction and the help from the wonderful women of the Garden Club SB who were here today. We are so grateful for their ongoing hands-on support at CDH.”
The Garden Club of SB President Vicki Hough explained the GCSB was established in 1916, as an official chapter of the Garden Club of America. The local chapter has done volunteer gardening at CDH over the years, including the Arizona Garden. Hough has been a member of the club since 2013. Members helping to prune the roses with Hough, Bifano, and Sanderson were Mari McAlister, Betsy Bingham, Susanne Tobey, and Elizabeth McGovern, and CDH Head Gardener José Aguilar.
Bifano is originally from the East Coast, and at six years old, his family moved to the Montecito home of a retired botanist said to be filled with many gardens. The rose garden there had 100 species of roses, and thus Bifano’s passion for roses began.
His pro tips for our readers:
1. Location, location, location! Plant all roses in the sun.
2. Prune by the geographical location. Here in Montecito, Bifano says he usually prunes three to four feet high on a single cane that doesn’t have too many laterals, removing as much old and non-productive growth to make room for new, strong growth.
3. He advises to trim above the bud.
4. Try to cut off the older canes as much as possible, which are grey and less colorful, to make room for new growth; however, don’t overdo it.
5. Trim the leaves off on January 1 and prune the canes a few weeks later.
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