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Rose pruning

Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

image

This is my climbing rose, which has lots of shoots and hasn't been pruned yet.  To be honest I am a but 'scared' as to what to do, where to cut.

Please but anyone help me with some guidance as to how and where to cut.  I need to try and train it and did start last year but it didn't want to stay where I put it so am going to get a trellis attached to the fence for it.

Thanks.

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Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039

    Difficult to explain in words, but you need to try and train some of the shoots horizontally, then the shoots that come of those horizontal branches should be pruned to 2 or 3 buds; these are the shoots that will flower.

    If you leave the branches semi vertical you will only get flowers at the tips.

    Once you have a framework the pruning becomes easier in subsequent years.

    I hope that makes sense. In practice it is easier than my attempts to explain it.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    So the big branches sticking up over the fence, should I cut them down?  Then the smaller branches train them sideways? Then cut those down so only 3 of the shoots doing off them are left?  Is that right, I'm so scared of killing it or getting I flowers image

  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    I'm confused image I hope shrub roses are easier because I've just bought 4. 

    It just seems to have grown so much in the last couple of weeks with loads of shoots and I don't know if they should all stay or some go image

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,023

    Tracey, could you attach some horizontal wires to your fence using screw-in eyelets?  Then take each long shoot and fan out sideways and tie to a wire, as in Edd's picture. Then prune a few inches off the end of each shoot (branch). Then, as puncdoc says, prune each side shoot that comes off the main ones to 2 or 3 buds.

    The big branches that are over the top of the fence will then be tied down sideways to the wires, don't cut them off this year. When the rose gets old in later years you can cut off the oldest worn out ones. Each long branch growing sideways should be covered in short shoots. These will have flowers on them.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Tracy most of those branches still look quite green, they will be flexible so you can gently bend them to laterals. Anything too tough prune out and create a frame as per the above picture, it really isn't difficult, just wear stout gloves, you can do it.

  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    Thanks guys, I've had a look on the RHS website too.  Lizzie, I did try putting some wire on, you can just see it at the top of the fence, but I did it wrong and it wouldn't stay, I realise now you've said to use eyelets that this was the reason, I was using a staple gun thing!!! Also,mi should have started at the bottom rather than just trying to secure any old branch!!

    I think I understand it now and yes Dave, lots of buds! I realise I've left it a little late but don't actually think it may need that much pruning now, probably more just training.

    I will make that my project on the next sunny day and post my results image

    Thank you everyone for your patience and Lizzie for replying to my request, all your expertise is much appreciated image

  • IvyhouseIvyhouse Posts: 111

    I think you still have time to prune your bush rose quite hard Tracey.I usually take mine down to about 8 inches each on the strong stems, preferably to an outward facing bud. Mine are shooting like crazy and still have a few flowers from a late flourish but this will all be coming off next weekend.

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039

    The picture on Edds post is what I was trying to say, but maybe not too well.

    If pos. try to do it soon, you need to get a good framework for climbing roses early. Once the shoots are horizontal they will stop growing and the energy is diverted to the side shoots off those stems which will then produce the flowers [ a picture paints 1000 words ! ]

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,023

    Ivyhouse, that's a climbing rose not a bush, so you wouldn't prune to 8", unless you mean the side shoots that you prune to 2 - 3 buds.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    Nonsense Punk, it was a big help.  I am going to post a closer pic tomorrow so you can clarify the '3 buds' bit because there are lots of shoots off the main branch and then lots of buds (which I think are the ones that produce the flowers), this is the bit I am unsure about.......not you punk it's me being extremely dim but once I know I won't have to ask again.  I'm going to try cutting and pasting notes/tips tomorrow so I can put them in my book to refer back to image

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