So I have recently seen 2 videos on social media – one in So Cal explaining why they prune roses below the 1st 5 leaflet leaf and another in the UK explaining why they prune above it. Here in Zone 5 Chicago – where should we prune? We can be both humid and wet in spring and hot and dry in the summer. Thank you!
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Great question! Personally, I've always pruned down to the first 5-leaflet to get a more robust response with regrowth and flowering. I imagine there are lots of theories on what is best. The University of Illinois has a nice reference at https://extension.illinois.edu/roses/pruning which confirms the "5-leaflet" suggestion. Healthy roses likely will respond favorably to either treatment though. I'm in southern WI so have been experiencing the same damp spring/early summer as you in Chicago. I'm hoping the roses will have a great year although Mother Nature has some influence, of course!