Reduce the height of roses

Once bush roses have finished flowering, prune them by between one-third and a half.

- PHOTOS: SARAH CUTTLE; JASON INGRAM

Cutting them back will reduce the risk of them being rocked in windy weather through autumn and winter, which can loosen the roots and as a result can affect the health of the plants.

Use secateurs and cut the whole plant back to the same height, then shred or chop up the prunings and put them on the compost heap.

Check the plant's leaves too and remove any showing signs of fungal disease - bin them, rather than composting, to help prevent reinfection next year.

Take out any dead rose stems

Check all your rose bushes for dead stems and cut these back to healthy growth. It's easier to notice dead stems now while leaves are still on the plant, because any dead stems will be bare.

Use sharp loppers or secateurs and cut back to clean wood (the resulting wound should be green).

If the whole stem or sideshoot is dead, cut it right back to where it started, rather than leaving snags of stem behind.