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Pruning a dishevelled rambling rose

Shauna2021Shauna2021 Posts: 53
in Problem solving
Hello! I have an 'open arms' rambling rose by my front door. I think it is probably the wrong rose for the spot (not really anywhere for it to ramble) but my husband bought it as an anniversary gift because it is supposed to tolerate shade. I suspect i have ruined it by chopping off the wrong bits at the wrong time to keep it in check and not pruning after flowering (some old hips are still on there). I've looked up how to prune but I'm not sure what is the old and new growth and it generally just seems to be thewrong shape! Is there anything I can do to restore it? Any help gladly received - what would you do if you inherited this?! Thank you so much!

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    First off you need to deal with the 3 Ds - dead, damaged or diseased stems need cutting off at their base where they join a healthy stem.

    After that, you need to take away stems that can't or won't be tied in and trained along their growing space as these will catch you as you pass.  Ideally, you need to be training all the stems as horizontally as possible or diagonally if that's easier as this will encourage flower production.   On that wall I would use horizontal wires stretched at 30 or 40 cm intervals and threaded thru vine eyes with a tensioner at each end to keep them taught.

    I would then give the rose a good feed of slow release rose or tomato fertiliser and a mulch of well-rotted manure to feed it and help retain moisture thru the growing season.

    More on pruning here - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=169 
    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
  • Shauna2021Shauna2021 Posts: 53
    Oh thank you! My husband has put up some horizontal wires for me going rightwards, so as soon as I can bear to be outside (bitter here today) I will start pruning and tying it in properly. And chopping off the diseased bits.
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    Never be afraid to prune a rose back pretty hard if a shoot has become gangly and bald. (Bearing in mind though that it's winter so leaves are down anyway). I've also grown this variety and your plant does look a bit undernourished to me too, but 'Warm Welcome' is a dainty thing; it will never look beefy like a full-size climber.
  • Mr. Vine EyeMr. Vine Eye Posts: 2,394
    With climbers/ramblers you don’t want them shooting straight up the wall - you’ll end up with bare stems and all the flowers right at the top.

    So keep them as horizontal as possible. Winding up the wall at a 45 degree (or lower) angle. You’ll then get lateral flowering growth all the way up.


    East Yorkshire
  • Shauna2021Shauna2021 Posts: 53
    These are really helpful posts, thank you so much. I had no idea about the need to train horizontally until today - no wonder we just have a few flowers at the top and bare woody growth at the bottom! I will cut back all the old woody growth I know has been there a while (and is quite bare) and tie in any new growth  I haven't cut off :# - and wait for more)

     It probably is undernourished - it only gets a few hours of evening sun in the summer (I'd have been better with some ferns really!) and the soil is pretty poor, although I've mulched it this year and usually do try to feed it. 
    Thank you again! 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Roses are hungry, thirsty plants so be generous with the feeding and mulching and enjoy the rewards.
    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
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