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#1
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
Hi,
We inherited a couple of old shrub roses when we moved into our house (I believe they are Rosa Windrush). They both flower well but unfortunately they are in a spot that we intend to turn over to vegetables. I'd really like to keep them and I'm sure we can fit the veg beds around them, but they have been supported by an old dilapidated trellis that we need to move now to start clearing the ground ready for autumn digging. So my questions a 1. As they're very top heavy they're all the green growth that had flowers on is flopping over and I'm worried that the strain will break or damage the stems. They're pretty much finished flowering - I know technically it's not the right time of year but can I prune them back now to prevent them getting damaged? 2. If and when I prune how much can I take off? There's about 3 ft of old wood before any flowering shoots start. Is there anything I can do to encourage new growth lower down the shrub? Any advice gratefully received! Many thanks Judy |
#2
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
There was a very similar question in today's Telegraph. The advice was:
"Remove all shoots that have flowered. There will probably be new shoots already growing about 2 feet back from the dead flower heads. Cut back the old growth only as far as these new shoots.Also, if you can get to the base of the roses easily, take out some of the oldest and most gnarled stems completely from gound level. Give each bush a granular rose feed and water well. Don't cut them hard back all over. If you do, they won't flower next year" Jeanne Stockdale "Judy Donovan" wrote in message ... Hi, We inherited a couple of old shrub roses when we moved into our house (I believe they are Rosa Windrush). They both flower well but unfortunately they are in a spot that we intend to turn over to vegetables. I'd really like to keep them and I'm sure we can fit the veg beds around them, but they have been supported by an old dilapidated trellis that we need to move now to start clearing the ground ready for autumn digging. So my questions a 1. As they're very top heavy they're all the green growth that had flowers on is flopping over and I'm worried that the strain will break or damage the stems. They're pretty much finished flowering - I know technically it's not the right time of year but can I prune them back now to prevent them getting damaged? 2. If and when I prune how much can I take off? There's about 3 ft of old wood before any flowering shoots start. Is there anything I can do to encourage new growth lower down the shrub? Any advice gratefully received! Many thanks Judy |
#3
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
Call me a rebel but I would cut it right down to the ground and move it in
the autumn with, yes you guessed it, lashings of water Judy Donovan wrote: Hi, We inherited a couple of old shrub roses when we moved into our house (I believe they are Rosa Windrush). They both flower well but unfortunately they are in a spot that we intend to turn over to vegetables. I'd really like to keep them and I'm sure we can fit the veg beds around them, but they have been supported by an old dilapidated trellis that we need to move now to start clearing the ground ready for autumn digging. So my questions a 1. As they're very top heavy they're all the green growth that had flowers on is flopping over and I'm worried that the strain will break or damage the stems. They're pretty much finished flowering - I know technically it's not the right time of year but can I prune them back now to prevent them getting damaged? 2. If and when I prune how much can I take off? There's about 3 ft of old wood before any flowering shoots start. Is there anything I can do to encourage new growth lower down the shrub? Any advice gratefully received! Many thanks Judy Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk |
#4
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
The Devil's Advocate wrote in message ... Call me a rebel but I would cut it right down to the ground and move it in the autumn with, yes you guessed it, lashings of water I did exactly this two years ago thinking I had no chance with them, but they were/are fantastic both this year and last. Judy Donovan wrote: Hi, We inherited a couple of old shrub roses when we moved into our house (I believe they are Rosa Windrush). They both flower well but unfortunately they are in a spot that we intend to turn over to vegetables. I'd really like to keep them and I'm sure we can fit the veg beds around them, but they have been supported by an old dilapidated trellis that we need to move now to start clearing the ground ready for autumn digging. So my questions a 1. As they're very top heavy they're all the green growth that had flowers on is flopping over and I'm worried that the strain will break or damage the stems. They're pretty much finished flowering - I know technically it's not the right time of year but can I prune them back now to prevent them getting damaged? 2. If and when I prune how much can I take off? There's about 3 ft of old wood before any flowering shoots start. Is there anything I can do to encourage new growth lower down the shrub? Any advice gratefully received! Many thanks Judy Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk |
#5
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
"anne" wrote in message ... The Devil's Advocate wrote in message ... Judy Donovan wrote: Hi, We inherited a couple of old shrub roses when we moved into our house (I believe they are Rosa Windrush). They both flower well but unfortunately they are in a spot that we intend to turn over to vegetables. I'd really like to keep them and I'm sure we can fit the veg beds around them, but they have been supported by an old dilapidated trellis that we need to move now to start clearing the ground ready for autumn digging. So my questions a 1. As they're very top heavy they're all the green growth that had flowers on is flopping over and I'm worried that the strain will break or damage the stems. They're pretty much finished flowering - I know technically it's not the right time of year but can I prune them back now to prevent them getting damaged? 2. If and when I prune how much can I take off? There's about 3 ft of old wood before any flowering shoots start. Is there anything I can do to encourage new growth lower down the shrub? Any advice gratefully received! Many thanks Judy Call me a rebel but I would cut it right down to the ground and move it in the autumn with, yes you guessed it, lashings of water I did exactly this two years ago thinking I had no chance with them, but they were/are fantastic both this year and last. I need to do something like that too, but before risking it, please confirm that I understood you correctly: (1) You are talking of shrub roses. (of the Rugosa group) (2) You did not lose a season's flowering. (I am ancient and the loss of a season's flowers is, if I may be blunt about it, a matter of life and death). (3) What time of the year did you prune it? Thanks in advance, [Franz Heymann] |
#6
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
"Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... I need to do something like that too, but before risking it, please confirm that I understood you correctly: (1) You are talking of shrub roses. (of the Rugosa group) (2) You did not lose a season's flowering. (I am ancient and the loss of a season's flowers is, if I may be blunt about it, a matter of life and death). (3) What time of the year did you prune it? Judy's roses are not rugosas - she can prune quite hard and still have a reasonable lot of flowers next year, though personally I'd do a rather heavy dead heading or summer pruning now and more heavier pruning in the autumn - like end of next month. With your rugosas you can reduce the area they fill quite a lot by pruning them somewhat like cane fruit. ie take out all old wood and wood that's flowered this year, just leave as much of this year's basal growths as you have room for. You don't have to do all of this - just do as much as you need to get them how you want them, but do spare at least this year's basal growths and if possible any of last year's that have nice strong side shoots. Done properly it will look a lot smaller but won't look like a heavily pruned plant and should give a decent show next year. Rod |
#7
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
"Rod" wrote in message ... "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... I need to do something like that too, but before risking it, please confirm that I understood you correctly: (1) You are talking of shrub roses. (of the Rugosa group) (2) You did not lose a season's flowering. (I am ancient and the loss of a season's flowers is, if I may be blunt about it, a matter of life and death). (3) What time of the year did you prune it? Judy's roses are not rugosas - she can prune quite hard and still have a reasonable lot of flowers next year, though personally I'd do a rather heavy dead heading or summer pruning now and more heavier pruning in the autumn - like end of next month. With your rugosas you can reduce the area they fill quite a lot by pruning them somewhat like cane fruit. ie take out all old wood and wood that's flowered this year, just leave as much of this year's basal growths as you have room for. You don't have to do all of this - just do as much as you need to get them how you want them, but do spare at least this year's basal growths and if possible any of last year's that have nice strong side shoots. Done properly it will look a lot smaller but won't look like a heavily pruned plant and should give a decent show next year. Many thanks for clearing this up. I will follow your advice. But just one more thing: Do I have to wait for the winter to do that maintenance? [Franz Heymann] |
#8
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
"Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... "Rod" wrote in message ... "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... I need to do something like that too, but before risking it, please confirm that I understood you correctly: (1) You are talking of shrub roses. (of the Rugosa group) (2) You did not lose a season's flowering. (I am ancient and the loss of a season's flowers is, if I may be blunt about it, a matter of life and death). (3) What time of the year did you prune it? Judy's roses are not rugosas - she can prune quite hard and still have a reasonable lot of flowers next year, though personally I'd do a rather heavy dead heading or summer pruning now and more heavier pruning in the autumn - like end of next month. With your rugosas you can reduce the area they fill quite a lot by pruning them somewhat like cane fruit. ie take out all old wood and wood that's flowered this year, just leave as much of this year's basal growths as you have room for. You don't have to do all of this - just do as much as you need to get them how you want them, but do spare at least this year's basal growths and if possible any of last year's that have nice strong side shoots. Done properly it will look a lot smaller but won't look like a heavily pruned plant and should give a decent show next year. Many thanks for clearing this up. I will follow your advice. But just one more thing: Do I have to wait for the winter to do that maintenance? [Franz Heymann] That kind of pruning can be done now or anytime in the next few weeks, in fact it will help the new basal shoots to grow and ripen before the winter. Rod |
#9
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
"Rod" wrote in message ... "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... "Rod" wrote in message ... "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... I need to do something like that too, but before risking it, please confirm that I understood you correctly: (1) You are talking of shrub roses. (of the Rugosa group) (2) You did not lose a season's flowering. (I am ancient and the loss of a season's flowers is, if I may be blunt about it, a matter of life and death). (3) What time of the year did you prune it? Judy's roses are not rugosas - she can prune quite hard and still have a reasonable lot of flowers next year, though personally I'd do a rather heavy dead heading or summer pruning now and more heavier pruning in the autumn - like end of next month. With your rugosas you can reduce the area they fill quite a lot by pruning them somewhat like cane fruit. ie take out all old wood and wood that's flowered this year, just leave as much of this year's basal growths as you have room for. You don't have to do all of this - just do as much as you need to get them how you want them, but do spare at least this year's basal growths and if possible any of last year's that have nice strong side shoots. Done properly it will look a lot smaller but won't look like a heavily pruned plant and should give a decent show next year. Many thanks for clearing this up. I will follow your advice. But just one more thing: Do I have to wait for the winter to do that maintenance? [Franz Heymann] That kind of pruning can be done now or anytime in the next few weeks, in fact it will help the new basal shoots to grow and ripen before the winter. Many thanks. I now have a very nasty chore on hand. [Franz Heymann] |
#10
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Help please on pruning old rose bushes
Hi, I'm no expert with roses, but over the last 2 seasons I have been caring
for the garden of a 92yo neighbour,who's name is Marjorie. Both the front and rear gardens have boarders of roses, at the last count, 38 of 'em! Marjorie tells me that the youngest ones are about 30 years old. She's had to rely on a garden maintenance service for the last 10 years and as a result the roses have not been cared for ( all other plants were strimmed to oblivion). Many of the roses had grown to around 7 or 8 feet high with all the green growth starting 3 to 4 feet above old wood, others had been strimmed to near submission. Staring in April 2002 I could only trim out all the dead wood and rip of the briar wood below the soil that was growing from a few of the shrubs. I then hoed in plenty of rose feed. through out the summer I just dead headed the roses until finally in October I guessed it was time to do some serious pruning. With some trepidation and a rather dry throat, I gulped and took the plunge. I started by removing all weak and straggerly shoots, the I decided the centres of the shrubs needed lightening up so I cut out all shoots growing to the middle. My intention was to reduce all the former flowering shoots by half and cut them back to the nearest outward facing bud. I was rather surprised with my efforts, the shrubs looked quite good, nice shape and much lighter. They were still top heavy though, which concerned me. It was a difficult wait over the winter, to see if I managed to destroy 30 or 40 yrs of natures work. In march this year I started to feed all the roses again, by this time there was plenty of new green growth. By the end of May, both myself and Marjorie were rewarded to a magnificent display of blooms on most of the shrubs and those that didn't bloom so well were a least "shrubbier". But the best thing of all is that many of the taller shrubs have pushed up quite a few new shoots from the base, which gives me the hope that I can eventually cut down the tallest of the shrubs and bring them back to a more manageable height. Marjorie is thrilled to bits with them, when I can distract her attention from the "Robbie Williams Live from Wembley" consert she had recorded from the previous evening ( is Marjorie, at 92 Robbie's most senior fan?). I actually hated roses, the few roses I have in my own garden, are horrible, no overall nice shape, a lot of effort for a few meagre flowers and often "bit" me at the least expected moment, aaaaaw! those dammed thorns!.........................now where did I put those secateurs? Jeff "Judy Donovan" wrote in message ... Hi, We inherited a couple of old shrub roses when we moved into our house (I believe they are Rosa Windrush). They both flower well but unfortunately they are in a spot that we intend to turn over to vegetables. I'd really like to keep them and I'm sure we can fit the veg beds around them, but they have been supported by an old dilapidated trellis that we need to move now to start clearing the ground ready for autumn digging. So my questions a 1. As they're very top heavy they're all the green growth that had flowers on is flopping over and I'm worried that the strain will break or damage the stems. They're pretty much finished flowering - I know technically it's not the right time of year but can I prune them back now to prevent them getting damaged? 2. If and when I prune how much can I take off? There's about 3 ft of old wood before any flowering shoots start. Is there anything I can do to encourage new growth lower down the shrub? Any advice gratefully received! Many thanks Judy |
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