We have 2 climbing roses (Handel and Spanish Beauty) which have been
slightly neglected in terms of pruning. Now, all of the new shoots are too
high up and all the flowers appear at the top of the climbers, with next to
nothing lower down.

My question is, can the roses be cut right back (to say half their size),
thereby cutting into the main stems. There ARE some shoots coming out of the
main stems below where we proposed to cut it back, but very few. The Handel
rose, has practically no lateral shoots lower down.

Can the climber be cut almost back to the ground, or would that kill it.

We have looked in books, but pruning instructions of climbers are always
restricted to pruning of lateral shoots. There is nothing about cutting hard
back.

Any help would be appreciated.

TIA

Martin

On Sat, 3 Apr 2004 18:21:33 +0100, "Martin C"
wrote:

We have 2 climbing roses (Handel and Spanish Beauty) which have been
slightly neglected in terms of pruning. Now, all of the new shoots are too
high up and all the flowers appear at the top of the climbers, with next to
nothing lower down.

My question is, can the roses be cut right back (to say half their size),
thereby cutting into the main stems. There ARE some shoots coming out of the
main stems below where we proposed to cut it back, but very few. The Handel
rose, has practically no lateral shoots lower down.

Can the climber be cut almost back to the ground, or would that kill it.

If you look carefully at this time of year and if you're lucky you may
see one or two small red tips of buds starting to grow low down, even
in quite thick old wood. You'd very probably get away with what you're
proposing even without those buds (most times I would just do it but I
can't recommend that without seeing the plants) If you do see those
you will have no problem at all. Otherwise a fail safe way is to do
part of what you want *and* pull the shoots down as near to horizontal
as you can get them - this will very probably force new buds to break
low down the plant, you can then do what pruning you want. You can
help avoid this situation if future by training as much of the main
framework as near to horizontal as you can, even pulling the ends of
some longer ones lower than horizontal. This helps force lateral
breaks along the length of the stems rather than just at the ends. The
sort of shape I like to see is something like a wide fan of parabolic
shoots with variations to taste and space.

Rod

Weed my email address to reply
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

On Sat, 3 Apr 2004 18:21:33 +0100, "Martin C"
wrote:

We have 2 climbing roses (Handel and Spanish Beauty) which have been
slightly neglected in terms of pruning. Now, all of the new shoots are too
high up and all the flowers appear at the top of the climbers, with next to
nothing lower down.

My question is, can the roses be cut right back (to say half their size),
thereby cutting into the main stems. There ARE some shoots coming out of the
main stems below where we proposed to cut it back, but very few. The Handel
rose, has practically no lateral shoots lower down.

Can the climber be cut almost back to the ground, or would that kill it.

If you look carefully at this time of year and if you're lucky you may
see one or two small red tips of buds starting to grow low down, even
in quite thick old wood. You'd very probably get away with what you're
proposing even without those buds (most times I would just do it but I
can't recommend that without seeing the plants) If you do see those
you will have no problem at all. Otherwise a fail safe way is to do
part of what you want *and* pull the shoots down as near to horizontal
as you can get them - this will very probably force new buds to break
low down the plant, you can then do what pruning you want. You can
help avoid this situation if future by training as much of the main
framework as near to horizontal as you can, even pulling the ends of
some longer ones lower than horizontal. This helps force lateral
breaks along the length of the stems rather than just at the ends. The
sort of shape I like to see is something like a wide fan of parabolic
shoots with variations to taste and space.

Rod

Weed my email address to reply
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

Martin C3/4/04 6:21

We have 2 climbing roses (Handel and Spanish Beauty) which have been
slightly neglected in terms of pruning. Now, all of the new shoots are too
high up and all the flowers appear at the top of the climbers, with next to
nothing lower down.

My question is, can the roses be cut right back (to say half their size),
thereby cutting into the main stems. There ARE some shoots coming out of the
main stems below where we proposed to cut it back, but very few. The Handel
rose, has practically no lateral shoots lower down.

As long as you cut back to an eye that is going to turn into a viable shoot,
you'll be okay. Choose eyes that are facing outwards so that you don't get
criss-crossing inner stems. Cut out all weak growth.

Can the climber be cut almost back to the ground, or would that kill it.

See above.

We have looked in books, but pruning instructions of climbers are always
restricted to pruning of lateral shoots. There is nothing about cutting hard
back.

I had a Dorothy Perkins (v. well-established) in a walled garden once. My
then gardener used a chain saw or something very similar to prune it. ;-)
As long as you don't cut right back into old wood but have some eyes to
re-establish new growth, you'll be fine. To be honest, you have little to
lose - as they are now they're giving you no pleasure and not doing their
proper 'job'.
And don't forget that roses appreciate a feed now and then.
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

Martin C3/4/04 6:21

We have 2 climbing roses (Handel and Spanish Beauty) which have been
slightly neglected in terms of pruning. Now, all of the new shoots are too
high up and all the flowers appear at the top of the climbers, with next to
nothing lower down.

My question is, can the roses be cut right back (to say half their size),
thereby cutting into the main stems. There ARE some shoots coming out of the
main stems below where we proposed to cut it back, but very few. The Handel
rose, has practically no lateral shoots lower down.

As long as you cut back to an eye that is going to turn into a viable shoot,
you'll be okay. Choose eyes that are facing outwards so that you don't get
criss-crossing inner stems. Cut out all weak growth.

Can the climber be cut almost back to the ground, or would that kill it.

See above.

We have looked in books, but pruning instructions of climbers are always
restricted to pruning of lateral shoots. There is nothing about cutting hard
back.

I had a Dorothy Perkins (v. well-established) in a walled garden once. My
then gardener used a chain saw or something very similar to prune it. ;-)
As long as you don't cut right back into old wood but have some eyes to
re-establish new growth, you'll be fine. To be honest, you have little to
lose - as they are now they're giving you no pleasure and not doing their
proper 'job'.
And don't forget that roses appreciate a feed now and then.
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Martin C" wrote in message
...
We have 2 climbing roses (Handel and Spanish Beauty) which
have been
slightly neglected in terms of pruning. Now, all of the
new shoots are too
high up and all the flowers appear at the top of the
climbers, with next to
nothing lower down.

My question is, can the roses be cut right back (to say
half their size),

Yes, and more if you wish. In theory, you may cut back as
far as you please, as long as there is a growth bud below
your cut. In practice, if you cut down arbitrarily to 2 ft,
you will be very unlucky indeed if there is not at least one
incipient growth bud below that point. And 1 bud is enough
to give the rose a new start.
Many years ago I cut two climbers (I forget which they were)
to about 1 ft from the ground, and I was rewarded with two
new vigorous roses.

Franz

"Martin C" wrote in message
...
We have 2 climbing roses (Handel and Spanish Beauty) which
have been
slightly neglected in terms of pruning. Now, all of the
new shoots are too
high up and all the flowers appear at the top of the
climbers, with next to
nothing lower down.

My question is, can the roses be cut right back (to say
half their size),

Yes, and more if you wish. In theory, you may cut back as
far as you please, as long as there is a growth bud below
your cut. In practice, if you cut down arbitrarily to 2 ft,
you will be very unlucky indeed if there is not at least one
incipient growth bud below that point. And 1 bud is enough
to give the rose a new start.
Many years ago I cut two climbers (I forget which they were)
to about 1 ft from the ground, and I was rewarded with two
new vigorous roses.

Franz

There is a article on pruning of roses on BexRose web site that you may find
useful:- http://home.btconnect.com/cadoss/bexrose

A tip for forcing growth lower down on any type of rose stem (particularly
climbers) is to pull/bend the stem down horizontal or lower. You will thus
force all the dormont buds on the outside of the curve (the tension side) to
grow.


Regards

Martin Double
CADOSS

Email:
Web Site: http://home.btconnect.com/cadoss

"Martin C" wrote in message
...
We have 2 climbing roses (Handel and Spanish Beauty) which have been
slightly neglected in terms of pruning. Now, all of the new shoots are too
high up and all the flowers appear at the top of the climbers, with next
to
nothing lower down.

My question is, can the roses be cut right back (to say half their size),
thereby cutting into the main stems. There ARE some shoots coming out of
the
main stems below where we proposed to cut it back, but very few. The
Handel
rose, has practically no lateral shoots lower down.

Can the climber be cut almost back to the ground, or would that kill it.

We have looked in books, but pruning instructions of climbers are always
restricted to pruning of lateral shoots. There is nothing about cutting
hard
back.

Any help would be appreciated.

TIA

Martin

There is a article on pruning of roses on BexRose web site that you may find
useful:- http://home.btconnect.com/cadoss/bexrose

A tip for forcing growth lower down on any type of rose stem (particularly
climbers) is to pull/bend the stem down horizontal or lower. You will thus
force all the dormont buds on the outside of the curve (the tension side) to
grow.


Regards

Martin Double
CADOSS

Email:
Web Site: http://home.btconnect.com/cadoss

"Martin C" wrote in message
...
We have 2 climbing roses (Handel and Spanish Beauty) which have been
slightly neglected in terms of pruning. Now, all of the new shoots are too
high up and all the flowers appear at the top of the climbers, with next
to
nothing lower down.

My question is, can the roses be cut right back (to say half their size),
thereby cutting into the main stems. There ARE some shoots coming out of
the
main stems below where we proposed to cut it back, but very few. The
Handel
rose, has practically no lateral shoots lower down.

Can the climber be cut almost back to the ground, or would that kill it.

We have looked in books, but pruning instructions of climbers are always
restricted to pruning of lateral shoots. There is nothing about cutting
hard
back.

Any help would be appreciated.

TIA

Martin