Hello there!
I have a climbing rose that I've let get way out if control. I'm needing to trim it so I started looking up how to prune it. Then I found out that there are 2 types, climbing and rambling. I read that each one is pruned differently and, if pruned the incorrect way, I could damage my roses.
After reading further on, I still couldn't make a comfortable decision as to which type I had. I don't want to be wrong and kill/damage the roses. So I'm showing you guys a couple of pics I took today to see if you guys can tell me.
[img]https://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p154/HyperFerret3/e34561b8.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p154/HyperFerret3/09814fda.jpg[/img]
You can see here how some of the canes are extremely thorny. You can also see that some of the thorns are brown where as other thorns are white. No idea what that means, perhaps the white thorns just mean they're older?
[img]https://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p154/HyperFerret3/7e2c9338.jpg[/img]
But the newer canes (or if not newer but just "other" canes) are not as thorny.
[img]https://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p154/HyperFerret3/cc054f83.jpg[/img]
I can't really recall if I've seen blooms on "old wood" like one website spoke of. But I really wanna say even the new canes had blooms. I know that this plant usually gives an abundant amount of blooms all thoughout the season. I'm constantly trimming away faded blooms.
I know I probably did not choose a very good location but the plant has overgrown the trelis and is weighing it down and starting to pull the trellis forward. I was wondering if I could purn it back and how far. I also realize that I've more than likely waited too long to tend to it, so just wondering what I can/need to do now. Believe it or not, I have purned it before but those were always smaller cuts here and there.
Just a side note: I've also noticed some new shoots comeing from the base of the plant.
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HyperFerret
- Full Member
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:50 pm
- Location: Arkansas, Zone 7
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luis_pr
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 824
- Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:31 am
- Location: Hurst, TX USA Zone 7b/8a
Hello, HyperFerret. The color of the canes can help identify the new ones (they are green) from the older ones (darker green or brownish). I could not identify the white ones in your pictures but when some of the canes get whiteish, it would be that they are dried out (dead wood). Sometimes, powdery mildew infections will give the canes a grayish -some might call it white- color.
Keep an eye on the canes' colors as this can "tell you" when there is an infection... like powdery mildew, rose canker, etc.
Because the canes have so many thorns, it would be a good idea to prune such that the canes do not rub against other canes. These injuries promote infections which allow organisms to "enter" the plant via the cuts.
Climbers and ramblers usually need to be planted on a structure that can withstand the monster that is about to grow in there. I saw the same type of problem in Tyler, Texas several years ago. This very old climber took over a huge woodsy sitting area. The climber slowly started separating the wood in places so the owners were making plans to erect a very large custom-made sitting area made of metal instead.
If you know the name of this variety of climber, you can search the Internet for information about it, especially its expected "size at maturity". That is a commercial term that means the size after 10 years. As you can imagine, your rose will not stop growing when you celebrate its 10th birthday so keep that in mind.
I would replace the trellis by a sturdier structure. Or transplant the shrub elsewhere where it can attach to a sturdier structure and continue its growth unimpeded. You can prune the plant big time while it is dormant in Winter and start all over again (you choose the height; say 3' or 4' tall for example). Or you could leave it there and selectively prune to get rid of any canes growing sideways from the trellis, trim down the number of canes in the middle and "bring down to size" the remaining canes by a third or so. The shoots coming from the base can be pruned since you appear to have enough canes to work with.
This is a very vigorous shrub and will recover easily. Keep it well mulched after pruning and water it when the soil starts to feel dry if you insert a finger into the ground to a depth of 4". Fertilize as needed.
Does that help you, HyperFerret?
Luis
PS - My two dogs barked hello to your troop!
Keep an eye on the canes' colors as this can "tell you" when there is an infection... like powdery mildew, rose canker, etc.
Because the canes have so many thorns, it would be a good idea to prune such that the canes do not rub against other canes. These injuries promote infections which allow organisms to "enter" the plant via the cuts.
Climbers and ramblers usually need to be planted on a structure that can withstand the monster that is about to grow in there. I saw the same type of problem in Tyler, Texas several years ago. This very old climber took over a huge woodsy sitting area. The climber slowly started separating the wood in places so the owners were making plans to erect a very large custom-made sitting area made of metal instead.
If you know the name of this variety of climber, you can search the Internet for information about it, especially its expected "size at maturity". That is a commercial term that means the size after 10 years. As you can imagine, your rose will not stop growing when you celebrate its 10th birthday so keep that in mind.
I would replace the trellis by a sturdier structure. Or transplant the shrub elsewhere where it can attach to a sturdier structure and continue its growth unimpeded. You can prune the plant big time while it is dormant in Winter and start all over again (you choose the height; say 3' or 4' tall for example). Or you could leave it there and selectively prune to get rid of any canes growing sideways from the trellis, trim down the number of canes in the middle and "bring down to size" the remaining canes by a third or so. The shoots coming from the base can be pruned since you appear to have enough canes to work with.
This is a very vigorous shrub and will recover easily. Keep it well mulched after pruning and water it when the soil starts to feel dry if you insert a finger into the ground to a depth of 4". Fertilize as needed.
Does that help you, HyperFerret?
Luis
PS - My two dogs barked hello to your troop!