Climbing Rose Pruning Suggestions
I have mature 'New Dawn' climbing roses which have formed thick, woody canes with all upper growth. I would like to prune this year to rejuvenate lower growth,encourage new cane production?
Should I cut them to the ground and feed heavily? How would you handle these very old roses which have grown over 20 feet and need to be controlled? thanks
June 2022.. the New Dawn roses took over my trellises and now need to be contained...What should I do?
Comments (6)
Related Discussions
Prune climbing roses in wrong way
Comments (4)Eventually, they will produce some climbing canes. What you did is often what's done to them in many "nurseries". I'm sure you've found big box stores with climbers hacked like bushes and most of them, IF given decent cultivation and the chance to develop, make climbing canes. The "shock" you gave them was to take away their food production capacities and the stored food they need to put out the roots to support those long canes. Feed and water them properly, don't cut anything else off them, except for perhaps any flower buds they produce to force wood growth and remember they are climbers! Kim...See MorePruning of Climbing Roses
Comments (10)It would be helpful to know what the climber is you are referring to. In our garden all climbers are not treated the same. For instance if you have a "sport" you most likely need to tie the canes as horizontally as possible in order to get lateral canes from each eye along the cane. The flower is produced on each lateral. Otherwise, you will only get bloom from the top of the canes. Sometimes a true climber doesn't need to be tied in horizonally and will produce flower even when kept shorter. Many people think they should prune their climber like hybrid teas or floribundas and that's why they don't get much flower (only from the top of the canes) If you could spread the 12 ft canes out horizonally, can you imagine the bloom you would get next year, providing of course they make it through the winter. Since you are in a colder zone though, I'm assuming you would have chosen a cane hardy cultivar. If you don't know the rose you have, I would not prune now, but I would secure the canes in order to protect them over winter. With most climbers, you should do very little pruning except to cut out very old non producing canes and then just tip back the winter damage - at least that's what I do with my climbers. Others may have better suggestions for you....See MorePruning canes on climbing rose - how to?
Comments (5)Hmm, I just googled this the other day. I told myself THIS would be the year that I would finally prune my roses, and that THIS would be the year that I would not let pruning intimidate me. I read a few sites on pruning, tried less successfully to find tips for climbing roses, grabbed my shears, marched out the to garden.... and proceeded to snip of the dead ends of the branches. Yes, ends, as in one or two inches. Sigh. I am such a wimp. I did cut out the dead branches, and there is one bush that is really weak and so I pruned that back fairly hard (not that there was much left to prune). I'm hoping it comes back with a vengeance if for no other reason than to help me get over my pruning fears. I was at a loss with my climbing rose, though. I'm going to go take a look at the links Molie provided, and maybe go back out there with the shears.... :) Dee...See MoreHow to prune a pegged or climbing rose after flowering?
Comments (2)I just deadhead the blooms but do not cut the pegged cane unless is it is dying back. There will be Rebloom on those laterals. Also if the laterals are really long I will take off more of the lateral when I dead head. Over the years you may need to take that pegged cane out if it is not producing blooms any more....See More
Feiy Lo (PNWZ8b)
2 months agoWow your New Dawn is phenomenal! Mine is in a awful spot since the previous owner planted it aside our shady porch and it really doesn't have much space to grow. We decided to keep it, so we would have to find a way to manage it. I don't know where you live. We don't have much cold (z8) so it grows like crazy. New Dawn is so tough that I prune it differently than my other climbers and it responses surprisingly well. In order to control its size, after it finishes the first flush, usually in mid July here, I take out about 1/3 to 1/2 flowering stems and retie them. This is my major pruning of New Dawn, mostly because it takes a long time and I can do it in a warm day. I may lose some fall flowers, but it is REALLY thorny, no kidding, so I don't think it's a good idea to prune it in cold early spring with frozen fingers. Not to mention I need to move the ladder several times trying the best angle to stretch my arms properly among those evil prickles to the point to cut off. Lopper helps, but for a huge rose like New Dawn, with the stems growing almost 10' long in one season , I don't have many choices. Just laugh at me for doing too much for a rose, but having it and seeing and smelling the blooms is so enjoyable. A bloody sweet. LOL.
BTW, mine have several basal shoots coming out every year, but I'm not sure if that has something to do with the heavy mid-season pruning I do.
It looked a bit sad after pruning in July 2021.
The first flush in June 2022.
escolat thanked Feiy Lo (PNWZ8b)
Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
2 months agolast modified: 2 months agoescolat thanked Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USAescolat
2 months agolast modified: 2 months agoThanks for all the kind words and suggestions. The climbling roses had grown so much that they prevented me from cutting the grass( evil thorns on New Dawn) So I decided to cut them back, feed heavily.
June 2022...New Dawn was actually climbing up the tree! ( This is the view from the outside wall)
I just pruned and fed the roses to give me room to cut the grass.
I'm hoping the roses will respond nicely.I will lightly prune inside the courtyard/feed and hope for new cane production) I hope to create more light which might encourage lower growth. Thanks again!
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR