Too early. February is a better choice.

GGG

I have been wanting to ask the same question (not knock outs) I have a whole bunch of new growth on many of my roses. I guess a few good frosts will take care of that, which inevitably are coming at least a few times more this month and next...

Even with the new growth and leggy, mostly bare plants, still leave them alone til later?

Hi you guys, Over on the rose forum they say to wait until the forsythia blooms. I usually do it sometime in Feb too but this year I have done a few because I was moving a few and it made it easier to handle. Plus lots of mine were already putting on new growth despite alllll this cold weather we were having so I thought well I hope it won't hurt them. They say not to prune so they won't be encouraged to put on new growth but since mine were doing it anyway I went ahead and pruned to get a few of them out of the way. Sorry to ramble on. Judy

Here's the info from the Greater Atlanta Rose Society:
I prune a few weeks earlier than they do simply because East Atlanta is in a heat zone microclimate and I need to!

Atlanta Rose Growing Basics
Prune your roses!

Prune repeat-blooming roses in late winter, around the end of February or first week of March. Look for a pruning demonstration by the Greater Atlanta Rose Society or the Greater Gwinnett Rose Society in late February or early March to see experienced pruners in action. Pruning encourages the growth of new canes and the production of more flowers from your rose bush each year.

Prune once-blooming roses after they bloom in the spring.

Deadhead -- cut off blossoms as soon as stamens and petals start to fade, to encourage the formation of new flowers.

My experience the past two seasons is that if you prune too early, the roses will put out a lot of new growth. Then as has happened the past two springs, we will get a hard frost and all of that new growth will be damaged and you will be set back weeks.

I have a lot of rose bushes and most of them are showing new growth. But I'm going to wait until at least mid-feburary to prune. That way there will not be a lot of new growth out until it warms up for good.