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ROSES

Due to the snow and cold I havent done much pruning to my roses which are probably far too tall as I didnt prune last autumn either (new to gardening). Is it too late to prune them as they are no longer dormant? Would it do more harm than good?

 

Any advice would be appreciated. Ta. 

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Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Hi Brycey

    If they were mine I'd prune them. 



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Ryan LloydRyan Lloyd Posts: 395

    Are we talking about climbers here? As I have two Iceberg's that I too didn't prune, totall forgot about them.

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039

    I would defiitely prune. The cold weather means they wont have put on much growth yet and you are unlikely to do any harm

    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

    I would prune as well, just got two climbers left to do, but they are horrid and prickly, so did the others first. Spring is late so they'll think it's normal to prune them now.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • discodavediscodave Posts: 510

    I was going to say the same, due to the cold weather we have been having they probably haven't started to produce much growth yet. You may be able to get there in time.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,064

    I'm waiting till the very cold nights and bitter winds have gone as I've learned from experience that new cuts and heavy frost lead to damaged cells that attract disease or die back.   I have friends with warmer, more sheltered city gardens and they can prune now with confidence but not me yet.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Ryan LloydRyan Lloyd Posts: 395

    How actually are you mean't to prune rose climbers? This is my second year having them after purchasing 2 in a sale last year and don't have a clue about pruning.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,064

    Climbers flower on new wood so I train my main stems as horizontally aspossible to encourage the sap to flow more easily to make flower buds.   In spring, I cut off all dead and broken shoots and any showing die-back.  I then remove all the small shoots coming up, down or out from the main stems and any weak and spindly stems and then I give the plant a good feed of general purpose food for foliage and rose fertiliser for flowers. 

    Each year, on the more established climbers I take at least one main stem out right at the base so the plant puts up new shoots and thus continually renews itself and stays vigorous.  I have some newer climbers which are still too young and small to do this too as yet.

    Ramblers flower on wood produced the season before so, other than taking out dead or damaged wood in spring, should be pruned after flowering.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Ryan LloydRyan Lloyd Posts: 395

    Thankyou both, they're about 4ft at the moment, but I am currently trying to get them around my arch in the garden. Are there any easy ways of doing this, because the branches just keep flinging out?

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