Major Pruining of climbing Cecile Brunner: how severe?

16 years ago

I planted a climbing Cecile B 16 years ago next to my kitchen window. I let it go, and go and go. Last year we remodeled. Now the rose is directly in front of the new window. The thing has not been treated well, but has given a reliable whoosh of pink happiness each year with no complaints. I would NEVER want to harm the bush, but now it's time to redirect the growth. It hasn't even had a proper trellis or anything. As for shape, it's mostly thick and tree-like at the bottom (doesn't do new canes from the base), and then a big mass of branches/leaves, and then from those, big shooting canes reaching for the sky. To compound the problem, the last couple years, when I've thought about reshaping it, I'd notice a bird nest and have to give up.

We are thinking of building an arch to let it crawl across the driveway in a proper way. Otherwise, it just shoots that direction, flops and makes its own arch each year...

So my questions are: How far back can I cut this established monster in order to head it to better new directions? Can I safely cut through 1"plus branches? Is it past the time where it could shoot new basal canes? Also, how much shock would it suffer if I really agressively thin out the nasty ball of vegetation that is now my main kitchen view? The standard "no more than 1/3" is not going to fly, unless it poses complete peril..

My main goal is to help it turn around and be the beauty it should be, rather than a monster. I wouldn't want to risk losing it!

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Comments (3)

anntn6b
16 years ago
A mature Cecile Brunner came with our house in Algiers Point, across the river from New Orleans.
A tenant of ours was working off part of his rent by sanding the house. I wasn't watching him and he cut CB off four inches above the ground. Yes, he cut through some wood that could have been firewood, three and four inch diameters.
CB burped, and started regrowing before I had the second coat of paint on that part of the house.
Make sure to make a really heavy duty arch. That CB collapsed an arch for us, too.
Lest you think that it was just the great NOLA soil. that poor rose was planted in a 24" swath of ground between the cement base of the house and a cement driveway left over from when the lot was a lumber yard.
sleepydrj
Original Author
16 years ago
Perfect! Mine is stuffed between house and driveway, in a space of less than 3 feet.
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jbcarr
16 years ago
The main question I would have is timing. Spring bloom may be lessened by dormant pruning at this time. I am sure you can cut it back severely without too much effect on his rose. Try to use a pole trimmer for the high up stuff if possible.

Major Pruining of climbing Cecile Brunner: how severe?

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anntn6b

sleepydrj
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Major Pruining of climbing Cecile Brunner: how severe?

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anntn6b

sleepydrjOriginal Author

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sleepydrj
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