Read something saying you should postpone pruning if rain was on the forecast for the next week or two.
That would be impossible here Even a day or two would be tricky. I think people from warm dry areas worry too much about rain. In the same way, people here (and in other mild areas) worry too much about frost.
Also while I'm at it - do any of you sterilise your tools between plants? I've never bothered. Maybe I would clean them with hot soapy water if i'd just cut something off that looked particularly nasty.
I did this year but usually, I am too lazy to do that.
Please follow these instructions... you must wait for a week of sunny weather before pruning your roses, and after each cut, you must wipe the blades in jeyes fluid followed by a quick dip in full strength bleach solution... after which, you take a hot bath.. this will ensure you have perfect roses for us to look at this summer..
...failing that, please ignore all that you've read, including what I just wrote, and carry on regardless.. because that's what I've always done...
..as always, it's up to you though.. .. I think that means 'cool'..
@JessicaS, I am in Cambridge and about to prune mine today—there’s hardly any growth on them ATM. I share your longing for ‘Lady Emma Hamilton’, but I’ve read that it is prone to disease, and I try to avoid sprays etc wherever possible.
So far, clematis not very successful here either. A Warsaw Nike grows ok on an east-facing wall but the flowering season is short for me. Durandii turned up it’s toes after one season, Kokonoe didn’t make it to planting out! Don’t think they like my summer heat/alkaline soil/very hard water combo.
I pruned most of my roses a while back. Some good new growth, but all photography and garden activities suspended due to continuous rain 😞. Oh well, I’ll be glad of all that moisture in the ground soon enough.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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I did this year but usually, I am too lazy to do that.
If you go by the forecast and leave it a week because the next week looks more dry, it'll end up with downpours every day.
I'll just do it when I feel like, that's what I'd usually do!
Please follow these instructions... you must wait for a week of sunny weather before pruning your roses, and after each cut, you must wipe the blades in jeyes fluid followed by a quick dip in full strength bleach solution... after which, you take a hot bath.. this will ensure you have perfect roses for us to look at this summer..
...failing that, please ignore all that you've read, including what I just wrote, and carry on regardless.. because that's what I've always done...
..as always, it's up to you though..
Fountain
Trumpeter
Flanders
I pruned most of my roses a while back. Some good new growth, but all photography and garden activities suspended due to continuous rain 😞. Oh well, I’ll be glad of all that moisture in the ground soon enough.