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Tall rose

Retro1951Retro1951 Posts: 116
in Plants
The rose plant is about 4 meters high, not may stems, but quite a few roses. It is a beautiful colour. However, it has grown so high and a bit out of sight, nor can I reach the flowers. Should I cut the stems down? If so, how much could I reduce the stems by?? Thank you so much for your thought, help, assistance...

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Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I would shorten the stems when you prune it in winter. If possible, if room, train the stems sideways and shorten the sideshoots to 2 - 4 buds then it should flower more along the stems not just at the ends.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    If it is that tall it is probably either a tall shrub rose or even a climber and it might be possible to train it on an arch or an obelisk so that you can enjoy the flowers better. I am not a rose expert but I am sure there will be some more answers for you soon :)
  • Retro1951Retro1951 Posts: 116
    Thank you so much for your reactions, Busy-Lizzie and Buttercupdays. I have had another look and taken some more photos. I think it is going to be a bit difficult. At the very bottom - one stem. A few more shoots in the middle, some of which need to be taken out. And then lots of flowers at the top. Do I need to become brutal????
  • SueAtooSueAtoo Posts: 380
    Looks lovely. You could try taking cuttings (Mike Kincaid on youtube is very enthusiastic and I've tried his method successfully), and if successful you could then try being brutal as suggested and training new branches as horizontally as possible with your rooted cuttings as backup.
    East Dorset, new (to me) rather neglected garden.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    It looks like a climber. If you prune a lot off the top it should encourage it to grow more stems from the bottom. Keep long, strong canes and shorten all the side shoots off them to 6 - 10 inches. Shorten the long ones to make the whole plant shorter. Do it in winter when it isn't icy cold. Has it got any support? Doesn't look as though it's climbing up anything.

    If it's a shrub rose that's got too tall you can cut a third or even more off the top.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Retro1951Retro1951 Posts: 116
    Thank you SueAtoo and Busy-Lizzie. I have decided to take some hardwood cuttings in September (just watched Monty Don) but I will also have a look at Mike Kincaid's method. I am still working through names of my garden plants...getting better but not finished yet.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Any stems which are young enough still to be green can be gently bent and tied now down to a more diagonal or horizontal position.  You may have to do this in stages but it will encourage shorter vertical flowering stems to form.

    When you prune it - either in autumn or early next spring - cut out all the older, very hard, woody stems to just above a bud, if there is one, or to the base and make sure the cut is sloped so rainwater drips off rather than sits.    Give the rose a good feed of slow release rose or tomato fertiliser, a good drink and a mulch of well-rotted horse manure and then train new shoots as they grow.   Make sure the ties are strong to hold but not tight enough to strangle.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Retro1951Retro1951 Posts: 116
    Thank you Obelixx, I will keep this thread and advice for when I tackle the rose in September. Thank you for being so helpful.
  • Mike AllenMike Allen Posts: 208
    Speaking from experience.  Even with very, very old roses where the mainstem has now become a trunk.  Provided the roots are still alive, and in your case this is evident due to the flowers. Cut just above the scar of previous growth, any where on the trunk.  It may be a bit slow, but in time new growth will appear.  For such a beautiful flower as a rose.  The wait is well worth it.
  • Retro1951Retro1951 Posts: 116
    Hi Mike Allen, I'll keep it in mind, but I don't want to put all the 'eggs' in one basket, yet!
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