How to Prune a Climbing
Rose
The term climbing roses
includes two different types - climbers and ramblers. Neither type
is self supporting, so if you plant these you will have to train
them as well. Incorrect training will lead to reduced flowering,
and your rose can get bare at the base. Both types require little
pruning but need training sideways along horizontal wires (see Guide:
How to support Climbers) each year, to encourage good flowering.
It will help if you know the type of rose you are dealing with.
This workshop shows you how to approach the pruning and training
of climbing roses.
What You Need:
Sharp good quality secateurs - the by-pass type; strong protective
gloves; rubbish sack or wheelbarrow for disposal of prunings; garden
twine or plastic plant ties. Optional: long handled secateurs or
pruners; a small pruning saw (for older plants); protective goggles
(if you have to really get into woody plants).
.
Step 1
From the third year after planting onwards, prune climbing roses
in autumn after flowering. Cut out twiggy, non-productive growth,
along with any damaged, diseased or dead wood. Cut back to a main
or healthy shoot.
Step 2
Tie in all new healthy shoots onto your system of horizontal wires.
These shoots should not cross each other, so aim to space them about
20 - 30 cm apart.
Step 3
Cut back the side shoots, reducing them by about two thirds, or
make them about 10 cm long. Make your pruning cut just above an
outward-facing bud.
Step 4
If your climbing rose develops a bare base, cut back several of
the older main shoots to about 30 cm above ground level. This will
encourage new shoots to replace the tired older growth.
Step 5
To prune climbers over arches, pergolas, pillars etc., train main
shoots by twisting around the vertical support to encourage flowering
shoots to form lower down. Train new shoots whilst they are still
young and flexible in the direction of their natural growth. When
main shoots reach the top of their vertical support, prune them
back regularly to restrict to this height. Keep side shoots cut
back to about 15 cm in length.
Source: Greenfingers.com
