Pruning Climbing Roses - Any Advice?

[Deleted]

Have two climbing roses that have reached the top of the trellis they are growing up and was wondering when the best time to cut them back is, and how severe it needs to be. The trellis is about 6ft tall so ideally I'd like to cut the roses back quite hard so they've got space to grow next year. Can anyone give me some advice? They're still in flower.

Thanks in advance!

[Jasmine]

Last year I cut all my roses (climbing or otherwise) right back to about 30 cm. The roses that we inherited with the garden were getting such bad black spot that I decided to be quite brutal with the pruning. (Then I cleared the ground of fallen leaves, mulched and sprayed regularly when the roses started to grow again in spring). OH was sure I had cut some of them too far back and that was going to be the end of them but they all grew (the climbers just didn't get as tall as they might of this year). This year I have just cut the climbers back by a third so they don't get damaged by the wind over winter (I read that in AG)! Then they will get another prune in early spring. I suppose if yours are supported by a trellis DG you could wait until spring before you prune so you can keep on enjoying the flowers for as long as possible! As you can tell this is not in any way scientific - just something I tried!

[Deleted]

Thanks Jasmine, wasn't really too sure so that's a real help. Thanks!!!

[Chuckles]

Hi, DG. Not meaning to contradict what Jasmine has said but you would normally only severely cut back old roses, ones that have been neglected for a quite a few years that may need rejuvianting, like when they have really thick trunks and aren't putting on much of a show. It's a risk, sort of kill or cure time when you do a severe pruning ;D

It would be useful to know what the roses are that you have, and to what height they will grow. A photo would praps be good to see DG. I do know that you need to train climbing roses to grow horizontally, this will produce a fuller rose and more flowers.

[fozzie]

DG,

Just add my tuppence worth.

Are they climbers or ramblers, any names would give a clue. If they are climbers they will flower on current years growth so you can cut them back hard although I would go to approx one half or one third of the shoot length. If they are tied in to a trellis the Feb/Mar is best time. If they are ramblers, which I suspect not, as they are in flower now, then these would flower on last years growth and should be prune little if any and straight after flowering.I would only prune ramblers to keep them in the space you have allocated them.
As Chuckles said I would only reccomend severe pruning if you are trying to rejuvenate an old plant.
In general terms I prune to keep the plant within the boundries I have set for it. ie shorten the shoots to keep them within that imaginary boundary. Then prune to the 3 Ds (Dead, Diseased and Dying wood). Plus any crossing shoots that may damage each other. Every 2 - 3 years you can remove one of the oldest shoots completely to encourage fresh base growth
Those basic guidelines can be applied to all roses. Old, Modern, Shrub and Bush. Which includes the ubiquitous HT (shudder) sorry!

With climbers and ramblers I always aim to get the main stems as horizontal as possible to encourage flowers along the length of the stems.

Hope this has helped rather than muddied the water.

Foz

[Deleted]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. Very much appreciated!

[Dutchy]

Erm in case after all this you are worried.
2007 MssK's fence fell on top off three New Dawn roses. They had been ramping away happily for over 10 years judging by the mess.
She left them as she could not get the fence up again.
Late that year I removed the fence. Pulled it off breaking and tearing through the roses.
In Spring this year I cut two stumps real short.
The plants are now over 3 feet and have flowered this year.
I intend to tie them in in March April 2009.
Apart from number spare that I lifted and placed where it is shady.
I expected it to die so I could go ohhhh sorry it died and chuck it out but it grew back with a vengeance and is now maybe 2 feet and will get even with me next year I fear.