On 3/7/2009 2:09 PM, Backhouses wrote:
I have a rambling and a climbing rose which have run riot over a
pergola. Can I just prune them right back and start again? I would be
grateful for some advice.

If you prune a climber low to the ground, you will eliminate most of
this year's flowers.

Climbers should be pruned to keep 2-4 long main branches. It's best to
keep an equal number of old and new branches. The old ones will flower
better, but the new ones will grow better. Next year, remove this
winter's old branches; this winter's new ones will be next year's old
ones.

Although you keep long main branches, they headed (cut somewhat
shorter). But the key is to shorten or remove all side branches. This
is especially true where the long main branches are somewhat horizontal.
If headed, the horizontal branches will send out new side branches
which will have this year's flowers.

See my http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_rosepruning.html.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary