Sherri, in regard to the basal breaks being eaten by squirrels, my method of protecting new bands in the ground may work for you too. I surround the bands with thorny branches and it keeps the squirrels and rabbits away very effectively. Not a glamorous look, but once the basal breaks have grown and hardened you can remove the branches.

Ingrid

Ingrid, I have resorted to the 'Ingrid Defense', and it has kept four roses safe for about a month. I will try it on the climbers if I ever see another basal break. It may be ugly but it works on the ground. Up in the air in the climbers I have used netting with some success.

Sherry

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There are many variety of roses, that one can grow in a garden to beautify it. Climbing rose is one such variety, that is trained on a trellis, wall, or clambered into a tree, and when in full bloom, is one of the most delightful sights in the garden. Pruning climbing roses requires attention to maintain its healthy growth and increase the number of new sprouts. Most climbing roses need seasonal and light pruning to expose them to light and air. Here are some tips to prune climbing roses.

One of the most essential requirements of pruning is a good gardening tool; a sharp pair of shears (garden scissors), in different sizes. A jagged end will damage the delicate stems, and bud growth. Climbing roses are not self-trailing, they need to be trained onto a garden trellis or a horizontal support fencing. If left to its own design, they become a tangled mess of branches with very few and unhealthy flowers. Pruning should be done any time between late autumn and late winter, as by then, the flowering season is over, and the climber has shed its leaves. It is easier to prune when the plants are bare, as they allow a better idea of its trailing route.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pruning-climbing-roses-how-to-prune-climbing-roses.html

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Hi Sherry, I have RdO and I have to prune it quite a bit each year. I have it on an arbor and it tends to take over. Once the arbor blew over in a storm and I really had to hack RdO, which came down with it. It came back strong later that summer. I tend to cut it as a regular climber (cut back 'laterals' to two or three nodes, and that seems to work.

Thank you, grassorange, for the interesting link.

Thanks, Buford. Does your RdO make a lot of basal breaks and do you think this pruning encourages them?

Maman Cochet is the one I have the most uncertainty about.

Sherry

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My personal opinion is that sunlight on the base of a rose increases basals. I only have my observation to base this on. My RdO has very bare legs and this time of year, it gets a lot of sun on the base and does put out basals. Roses that I have that have the base hidden by brush and other plants don't get that many basals.

I think sun on the base is good, going by my experience with Maman Cochet Cl. Mine was slow to take off. Once she did... wow! Mine does still keep putting out basals, but I also prune her about twice a year (to keep her in check).

Can you pick anything up high that you could prune out, maybe, sherry? I'm absolutely no tea expert, so keep that in mind. Mine is in full sun all the way down, and I do prune most of her laterals back.

A couple of laterals are better than her main canes to go where I want canes, so I don't prune them the same way. I always end up finding something to prune on about every cane, if that helps or is possible for what you want. My gal puts out too many basals for me! I don't need her to climb so thickly to great heights, so that is probably the biggest reason I find her almost too vigorous :)

I don't know if that helps for your situation, unless you are just hesitant to prune because some roses don't like that. My gal likes it just fine (once she had good size on her).

Buford, thanks for your take on basals. I'll start paying attention to the amount of sun they get and the basals they break.

Merideth, thank you for sharing your pruning method. It's a relief to know she won't keel over and hopefully will even do better. I'll definitely give it a try after this rain passes through tomorrow. This will be interesting.

Sherry

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Buford, thanks for your take on basals. I'll start paying attention to the amount of sun they get and the basals they break.

Merideth, thank you for sharing your pruning method. It's a relief to know she won't keel over and hopefully will even do better. I'll definitely give it a try after this rain passes through tomorrow. This will be interesting.

Sherry

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Well, I did the deed and lived to tell about it. No video but plenty of photos on the link below. Thank you very much, Merideth. Maybe I'm deluding myself, but I'm confident Maman Cochet will survive, too -- and even do better.

Sherry

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Wow, those pictures are fascinating!!! I can't wait to hear about its performance this Spring!

Wow, those pictures are fascinating!!! I can't wait to hear about its performance this Spring!