Jill - what climate zone are you in? Pacific Northwest is a big place!

Here in Nor Cal in zone 9, we prune anywhere from Jan to March. I ALWAYS have to cut off new growth, and frequently buds or blooms, when pruning, as most of my roses grow 12 months of the year. If you are in zone 8 or higher, I think it would be OK to prune now. However, if you are still getting freezing weather, Samuel is correct - wait until the chance of freezing is over.

Jackie

I'm in zone 8 (coastal W.WA) & I'm planning to prune my roses next week.All (58) of them have started budding out, some never stopped, even my rugosas which are usually slower. I have to observe the roses to know when it's time to prune, the forsythia rule doesn't always apply, like this year.

Jane

Here in Italy (my area, estimated at about zone 8) all major pruning should be done by Saint Valentine's Day. The forsythia rule here makes no sense at all, since by the time the forsythias bloom the roses are ready to set buds. Basically for my area, some pruning jobs can and should be done year round. Clean-up- and plant- review- season should be starting around December and January, with major stuff being accomplished by mid-Feb. Here mainly we get certain "cold events", but they aren't really cold by USA standards, I think.

Zone 8B The PNW has a lot of different climate areas. This winter in Seattle we just had a dusting of snow once or twice and a couple mornings with frost on the roofs. Both gone within hours. In the outlying areas and closer to the mountains they are a lot colder.

Half my roses still had leaves on and the other half were popping out little leaf buds.

I'll finish my pruning tomorrow after I stop by Lowe's to pick up a little pruning saw.

I looked in my journal and last year I pruned on Feb. 4th. I do keep a watch on the forecast but unless it gets below 30 degrees I don't really worry about it.

I believe some of the public rose gardens around here wait til March. I am too impatient.

Samuel,

I know you thought you were helping. But California and all the coastal areas of our Country are a lot different from the inner sections of our Country. That's why I don't answer

What you said is correct for me in Illinois!! I wait until the Forsythia blooms before I prune.