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#1
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Rose pruning advice sought
Hi all
I'm erecting a new rose arch for a friend. The previous arch blew down long since, but of course the roses kept on growing. Once I have finished the arch I will need to prune the roses (one either side of the arch) for their benefit. They have evidently not been well pruned for a long time, judging by the jungle of growth, hence I'm not sure how to start (or even whether to start). May I ask: how would you tackle them? Three pictures: First shows the site, and the size of the roses (well over six feet in height, but tied back here so that I can get clear access for erecting the new arch): http://tinypic.com/r/egrgk5/8 First rose: http://tinypic.com/r/2lu5sh1/8 And the other: http://tinypic.com/r/1115veu/8 I must apologize for using the (now-)dreadful tinypic -- it used to be oh-so-simple and unadorned, and now it's a frightful mess of advertising... Cheers John |
#2
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Rose pruning advice sought
On 11/02/2015 18:52, Another John wrote:
They have evidently not been well pruned for a long time, judging by the jungle of growth, hence I'm not sure how to start (or even whether to start). May I ask: how would you tackle them? Thinking of the one in my apple tree - that's not a tangled mess. I shall await the experts with interest. /She/ wouldn't let me be as brutal as I though it needed! Andy |
#3
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Rose pruning advice sought
"Another John" wrote in message ]... Hi all I'm erecting a new rose arch for a friend. The previous arch blew down long since, but of course the roses kept on growing. Once I have finished the arch I will need to prune the roses (one either side of the arch) for their benefit. They have evidently not been well pruned for a long time, judging by the jungle of growth, hence I'm not sure how to start (or even whether to start). May I ask: how would you tackle them? Three pictures: First shows the site, and the size of the roses (well over six feet in height, but tied back here so that I can get clear access for erecting the new arch): http://tinypic.com/r/egrgk5/8 First rose: http://tinypic.com/r/2lu5sh1/8 And the other: http://tinypic.com/r/1115veu/8 I must apologize for using the (now-)dreadful tinypic -- it used to be oh-so-simple and unadorned, and now it's a frightful mess of advertising... Good. basic explanation about pruning climbing roses, here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf7F5qhChFM |
#4
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Rose pruning advice sought
On 11/02/2015 18:52, Another John wrote:
Hi all I'm erecting a new rose arch for a friend. The previous arch blew down long since, but of course the roses kept on growing. Once I have finished the arch I will need to prune the roses (one either side of the arch) for their benefit. They have evidently not been well pruned for a long time, judging by the jungle of growth, hence I'm not sure how to start (or even whether to start). May I ask: how would you tackle them? Three pictures: First shows the site, and the size of the roses (well over six feet in height, but tied back here so that I can get clear access for erecting the new arch): http://tinypic.com/r/egrgk5/8 First rose: http://tinypic.com/r/2lu5sh1/8 And the other: http://tinypic.com/r/1115veu/8 I must apologize for using the (now-)dreadful tinypic -- it used to be oh-so-simple and unadorned, and now it's a frightful mess of advertising... Cheers John Having read the other posts, I see you've got some good advice aleady plus a helpful video. If I were tackling this, I would take out all the dead wood and also the sickly-looking yellowish wood. You can do that right away and it will make the remaining task simpler. Normally, I would then cut out any crossing wood that would chafe on its neighbour, causing damage and letting in disease. *However*, because you have yet to erect the arch, I would wait until that's in place. When you lift the rose, ready for placing and tying in, you will get a better sense of what will chafe as you fit canes (main stems) to the arch's framework. Because you're not working to horizontal wires as in the video, you will find that you're having to train the rose at a more erect angle than shown. That can't be helped. You have to use the framework you've got. The rose stems look quite rigid, so it's more likely to be a climber than a rambler. If this is the case, you will find that forcing the stems to bend where you want them will result in breakage, so take it gently. Before you lift the rose, may I suggest that you lightly loosen the soil there (with a fork) and give it a very good soaking to soften the earth, allowing the roots to breathe and move with the rose without tearing. The earth looks very dry there (I'm assuming that's a crack I can see in the soil?) and probably compacted where you've been working, so anything you can do to relieve that will help. Further, when you come to feed the rose (with a general fertiliser for now) and water that feed in, the fertiliser will more readily enter the soil where you want it, rather than washing away and feeding something else. Later, when the weather is warmer and flower buds begin to swell, you should apply a high potash fertiliser. Because an arch usually creates a confined walkway, you need to a) think about safety from thorns, and b) repeat the forking of the soil periodically to keep the soil open and aerated to benefit the roots. -- Spider. On high ground in SE London gardening on heavy clay |
#5
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Rose pruning advice sought
In article ,
Spider wrote: lots! Spider - brilliant - thanks very much, and thanks very much also to Chris and to Frank, who have provided great advice, and videos. (Of course, one can always google for advice (and videos), but googling is a poor substitute for getting the wisdom born of experience, such as we see in a group such as this!) Just for the record Spider, no that's not a crack in the soil -- it's a dead twig actually :-) The soil is in fact very wet; moreover, a mole has been churning up hills around there, and while I was working yesterday (for five hours!), my boots regularly acquired an inch or two of the stickiest mud I've known. [I was reminded of a Desperate Dan episode where he walks around and around in the snow, to build his boots up so he can reach the top of a house!] I've now finished the new arch and will enthusiastically put all your good advice to use. Thanks again to all John |
#6
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Rose pruning advice sought
On 12/02/2015 15:47, Another John wrote:
In article , Spider wrote: lots! Spider - brilliant - thanks very much, and thanks very much also to Chris and to Frank, who have provided great advice, and videos. (Of course, one can always google for advice (and videos), but googling is a poor substitute for getting the wisdom born of experience, such as we see in a group such as this!) Just for the record Spider, no that's not a crack in the soil -- it's a dead twig actually :-) Right! I can see it is now:~). The soil is in fact very wet; moreover, a mole has been churning up hills around there, and while I was working yesterday (for five hours!), now you're just showing off;~)! my boots regularly acquired an inch or two of the stickiest mud I've known. [I was reminded of a Desperate Dan episode where he walks around and around in the snow, to build his boots up so he can reach the top of a house!] LOL! I can do that with mud round here! I've now finished the new arch and will enthusiastically put all your good advice to use. Thanks again to all John Glad the arch is in place. Any chance of a pic once the rose is in flower? You've been so helpful to your friend, I'm sure they'll let you in again with your camera:~). -- Spider. On high ground in SE London gardening on heavy clay |
#7
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Rose pruning advice sought
In article ,
Spider wrote: Glad the arch is in place. Any chance of a pic once the rose is in flower? You've been so helpful to your friend, I'm sure they'll let you in again with your camera:~). Thanks again. Yes - I actually look after the garden for this friend (who's working out of the country). He pays me! However I don't do it for the money (I don't charge him that much) -- I do it for the sheer joy of working, alone, in a quiet spot in the country, and for the enormous satisfaction of keeping the garden "under control" (if not burgeoning) while he's away. So yes -- I'll put up pictures when the roses flower. In fact, here's the arch; those posts look a bit high, but they're two feet into the ground (where I hit rocks). Roses still hauled back, because I might stain the arch before letting them back on: http://tinypic.com/r/2hf8mtg/8 J. |
#8
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Rose pruning advice sought
On 12/02/2015 15:01, Spider wrote:
On 11/02/2015 18:52, Another John wrote: Hi all I'm erecting a new rose arch for a friend. The previous arch blew down long since, but of course the roses kept on growing. Once I have finished the arch I will need to prune the roses (one either side of the arch) for their benefit. They have evidently not been well pruned for a long time, judging by the jungle of growth, hence I'm not sure how to start (or even whether to start). May I ask: how would you tackle them? Three pictures: First shows the site, and the size of the roses (well over six feet in height, but tied back here so that I can get clear access for erecting the new arch): http://tinypic.com/r/egrgk5/8 First rose: http://tinypic.com/r/2lu5sh1/8 And the other: http://tinypic.com/r/1115veu/8 I must apologize for using the (now-)dreadful tinypic -- it used to be oh-so-simple and unadorned, and now it's a frightful mess of advertising... Cheers John Having read the other posts, I see you've got some good advice aleady plus a helpful video. If I were tackling this, I would take out all the dead wood and also the sickly-looking yellowish wood. You can do that right away and it will make the remaining task simpler. Normally, I would then cut out any crossing wood that would chafe on its neighbour, causing damage and letting in disease. *However*, because you have yet to erect the arch, I would wait until that's in place. When you lift the rose, ready for placing and tying in, you will get a better sense of what will chafe as you fit canes (main stems) to the arch's framework. Because you're not working to horizontal wires as in the video, you will find that you're having to train the rose at a more erect angle than shown. That can't be helped. You have to use the framework you've got. The rose stems look quite rigid, so it's more likely to be a climber than a rambler. If this is the case, you will find that forcing the stems to bend where you want them will result in breakage, so take it gently. Before you lift the rose, may I suggest that you lightly loosen the soil there (with a fork) and give it a very good soaking to soften the earth, allowing the roots to breathe and move with the rose without tearing. The earth looks very dry there (I'm assuming that's a crack I can see in the soil?) and probably compacted where you've been working, so anything you can do to relieve that will help. Further, when you come to feed the rose (with a general fertiliser for now) and water that feed in, the fertiliser will more readily enter the soil where you want it, rather than washing away and feeding something else. Later, when the weather is warmer and flower buds begin to swell, you should apply a high potash fertiliser. Because an arch usually creates a confined walkway, you need to a) think about safety from thorns, and b) repeat the forking of the soil periodically to keep the soil open and aerated to benefit the roots. |
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