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Pruning climbing roses

snowy43snowy43 Posts: 118
in Tools and techniques
My Zephirine Drouhin climbing rose is getting out of control! It has done so well this summer, but the new long shoots are becoming a nuisance. Is it the right time to prune it, and which branches do I prune please? I’m a novice at pruning!

Posts

  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    Don't worry about trying to be an expert with pruning this rose [or any other for that matter]… just remove what you don't want, whatever gets in your way, if you are not able to tie any of the canes in, then shorten whatever is becoming a nuisance... it won't make any difference to next year's show, and it's ok to do it now...  and don't concern yourself with any upcoming frosts or winter... this rose has been around since 1868... it knows the score...
    East Anglia, England
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Totally agree with Marlorena ... it's not a temperamental rose ... it's also gorgeous  :)

    If you're still a bit unsure of what to do, this video shows very clearly one way of approaching it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf7F5qhChFM 

    Hope that helps  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    edited September 2018
    I will also add some photos of my own for you... I took these a few moments ago.


    In the first two pictures, you can see I pulled the canes downwards towards the horizontal earlier this year, and by doing so you get bud breaks along the canes further down, sending out side canes as you can see.  This is good practice. Angle the cane at about 10 to 9 as if looking at a clock, don't let them drop below the horizontal though..






    ..this long one I am holding with my left hand [out of shot on the left] as I'm about to train this cane towards the horizontal like the others... I will get bud breaks along this cane next Spring, which means more flowers...   If you are able to do this with your plant, that's good, it's better than letting them blow around in the gales, or going too upright towards the sky...    you can shorten canes if you want, no problem..

    East Anglia, England
  • snowy43snowy43 Posts: 118
    Thank you both for your advice. It’s such a lovely rose.
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    ..oh it is... and as I've been to such a lot of trouble ...lol... here's a photo from summer..



    ...just let it go....
    East Anglia, England
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I love that pic Marlorena  <3

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    ...thanks so much !...  it enjoys the East Anglian climate..
    East Anglia, England
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited September 2018
    It's not bad here is it  ;)  apart from that wind straight from the Urals  :o

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • snowy43snowy43 Posts: 118
    Lovely photo Marlorena. Your effort was certainly worth it. Thanks for the photos and explanation. Secateurs out today!
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    ..thank you !...
    East Anglia, England
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