Hope I haven't made a mistake...

[Deleted]

I planted 'Albertine' (rambling rose) last year against a north facing fence. I did get a couple of flowers, but it put most of it's energy into rampant growth. Yesterday, I went out with the secateurs and trimmed it back into a more manageable shape, although as it still has all of it's leaves it's quite hard to work out exactly where to cut . I thought that I could prune now (incidently, I pruned all of my other roses too...), but have since re read my rose book which states that ramblers should be pruned after flowering. Oops.

[Deleted]

Lovely climber it is too

www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=11

Perhaps the reason you only had a couple of flowers is because Albertine prefers full sun.

www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/roses/rambling-roses/climbers/rosa-albertine/classid.1273/

Not a good idea to prune roses at this time of the year either I'm sorry to say - mid-February in the south, but in northern and colder areas it's best to wait until March.

[Deleted]

Aw! I hope I haven't done any major damage I bought 'Albertine' because it was supposed to cope with a north wall! I just got carried away with the secateurs yesterday...I'm banning myself from touching them again until march

[Deleted]

Perhaps it will "cope" with a north wall but at the expense of lots of flowers. Coping isn't quite the same as thriving.

I would think that as long as you haven't pruned your roses really hard they will be OK - I've got my fingers crossed for you.

[Deleted]

I'll see how it does this year, Rita, 'cause it were only a stick when I bought it, and now it's a giant!!! I know that it flowers on old wood, so assumed that that was why I didn't get many flowers last year. It's on a north facing fence, but gets direct sun for at least four hours during the summer IYKWIM. The flowers I did get were absolutely beautiful

[Dutchy]

A friend has an Albertine which sits in full shade during Winter and in summer only gets the morning and late afternoon sun.
It is proliffic but it took quite some years to get there.
Some three or four if I remember well.
Don't give up on it yet.
I do not know how hard you pruned but if there are still some long stems on there it will set to making those even longer.
It's a wait and see.
When I get the itch to cut back roses in winter I do half the stem I would take off and get back in late Feb early March ( weather depending) and cut back to where I really wanted to be.

[Biggles]

dutchy said:

A friend has an Albertine which sits in full shade during Winter and in summer only gets the morning and late afternoon sun.
It is proliffic but it took quite some years to get there.
Some three or four if I remember well.
Don't give up on it yet.
I do not know how hard you pruned but if there are still some long stems on there it will set to making those even longer.
It's a wait and see.
When I get the itch to cut back roses in winter I do half the stem I would take off and get back in late Feb early March ( weather depending) and cut back to where I really wanted to be.

I always did this to my Climbing Roses--Dutchy. The reason being --Pruning half of it in Winter helped to stop it from 'Rocking' in the strong winds---and March being the usual time for Pruning my Roses always did well.

[JennyWrenn]

I pruned my Albertine right back to just a long stem :'(as most of my roses had black spot last year - in September - it has since galloped ahead again so hopefully will be OK

[Dutchy]

It's the small branches that veer off of the long stems that usually give the most roses.
They are new growth and eager to bloom.
At MssK the established climbing roses were cut real short as they crashed fence and all in a storm.
To my amazement the stumps made new leaves and seem to be screaming at Spring to hurry up as they are scraping their hooves and as ready as can be.

[Weeterrier]

No use worrying RM. In my garden my roses get pruned all the time by the deer What will be will be.

[Deleted]

I'm glad I pruned them back now, after all these gales!!! At least I won't have wind rock

[Deleted]

rosemother said:

I'm glad I pruned them back now, after all these gales!!! At least I won't have wind rock

Very true and neither will Albertine - sorry RM couldn't resist.

[Biggles]

jennywrenn said:

I pruned my Albertine right back to just a long stem :'(as most of my roses had black spot last year - in September - it has since galloped ahead again so hopefully will be OK

Jenny when you pruned all your roses right back I hope you managed to clear all the leaves from around the soil aswell. and treated the soil with 'Rose Clear' or similar, because the 'spores' of black spot lay on the soil and re-infect the roses later on.
Maybe I am "teaching my Granny to suck eggs!"--you would probally know this anyway but for those gardeners just starting off it might help them to reduce Black spot on their roses later on.
Then during the growing season spray occasionally with Rose Clear (or similar) to keep them 'Clean' and 'pick off' any infected leaves.

[fozzie]

Jan 9, 2008 20:56:39 GMT Biggles said:

jennywrenn said:

Jenny when you pruned all your roses right back I hope you managed to clear all the leaves from around the soil aswell. and treated the soil with 'Rose Clear' or similar, because the 'spores' of black spot lay on the soil and re-infect the roses later on.
Maybe I am "teaching my Granny to suck eggs!"--you would probally know this anyway but for those gardeners just starting off it might help them to reduce Black spot on their roses later on.
Then during the growing season spray occasionally with Rose Clear (or similar) to keep them 'Clean' and 'pick off' any infected leaves.

Hi Bigglers BS does not over winter in/on soil and or leaves. So clearing away prunings and leaves at this time of year wil not reduce BS. I am not saying do not do it because a clean and tidy bed will always look better and be healthie, by reducing damp and humidity, which BS thrives on. BS wil live and over winter in the stems.

F

[Pip]

Well you really have surprised me Fozzie.

I was always "taught" and have read that one should always remove leaves that are infected with Black Spot out of the garden area to avoid that the fungus infects other roses . Infact I always burn the leaves whenever I can.

Pip

[beanie]

I've just read article from the R.H.S who have done research on overwintering black spot, they say it stays in the stems and buds. I've been spraying my roses including the stems before they sprout and have had very little the last couple of years

[Rosefriend]

Sounds all rather interesting as it is against everything that I was taught - is there any chance of a link so that I can read about it all?

That BS is in the stems etc is true anyway but that no danger is attached to leaves is certainly new and interesting.

RF

[Biggles]

About rose black spot
Rose black spot is specific to roses and all types are susceptible.
The disease causes dark spots or irregular brown or black blotches on both leaf surfaces. Leaves then turn yellow and drop prematurely, resulting in weakened plants.
The disease is worse in warm, wet weather.
The black spot fungus produces spores which are released under wet conditions and usually spread by rain-splash.
The disease can also be passed from plant to plant on hands, clothing or tools.
Spores overwinter mostly on the shoots, but can survive on fallen leaves and within the soil.Recently, rose black spot has become more common in town and city gardens due to less sulphur dioxide within atmospheric pollution. Sulphur is known to reduce fungal problems.

I found this information on the BBC Gardening Advice-Blackspot (Google)-- Hope it is of some use to you RF----Bigs

[Rosefriend]

Hi Bigs - thanks a lot for the information - I appreciate it.

RF