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Leggy climbing rose?

stephaniedunn1988uwdF9NqQstephaniedunn1988uwdF9NqQ Posts: 42
in Problem solving
Hi there,
Please can I ask for advice about what to do with my climbing rose? Novice gardener here! I’ve been struggling to get out in the garden to sort this out earlier (new-ish mum!). The rose now has new shoots coming off it. It’s quite leggy and bare towards the bottom. Is this normal? Is it best to cut it all right back or just certain bits? Apologies for the dark photo. I only managed to get out at 7:30 this evening! Happy to take another photo tomorrow if that helps!


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Posts

  • Mrs-B3-Southampton,-HantsMrs-B3-Southampton,-Hants Posts: 732
    Not an expert but tying some of the shoots to the lower trellis would help. Flowers would then form along them.
    Southampton 
  • bullfinchbullfinch Posts: 692
    I hope he won't mind me saying, but @Mr. Vine Eye has a beautiful climbing rose. If he sees your thread he might be able to help.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    Some roses are leggier than others. As Mrs. B3 said, training the lower shoots sideways will help, but really it doesn't look too bad to me. It has only just started growing after the winter and it will make a lot more growth. Have you fed it?
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • stephaniedunn1988uwdF9NqQstephaniedunn1988uwdF9NqQ Posts: 42
    Thank you, this is reassuring. I’ll move the lower shoots a bit lower. It’s a New Dawn climbing rose if that helps? I haven’t fed it just yet, that was going to be a job for this week.

    I wondered whether it was leggy because I usually have a False Goats beard in front of it in the summer that gets in the way of the bottom. This will only be the second year I’ve had this rose that the growth has come up above it.
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Wait awhile it should come good , looks healthy enough from what I can see .
  • stephaniedunn1988uwdF9NqQstephaniedunn1988uwdF9NqQ Posts: 42
    Thank you for your encouraging replies - I was a bit concerned I’d missed the boat on it this year. Can I just check if you’d recommend bending around the branches (so they’re in a tight ‘C’ shape)? The top ones are a little long and would like to try and keep the rose to that part of the fence.
  • Mr. Vine EyeMr. Vine Eye Posts: 2,394
    bullfinch said:
    I hope he won't mind me saying, but @Mr. Vine Eye has a beautiful climbing rose. If he sees your thread he might be able to help.
    Thanks Bullfinch that’s very kind.

    I agree with everyone else though, looks fine, just see what it does. I might be tempted to lower the two canes on the left  if they’re flexible enough to do that now. But I wouldn’t worry if not.


    East Yorkshire
  • stephaniedunn1988uwdF9NqQstephaniedunn1988uwdF9NqQ Posts: 42
    Thank you for your replies, it’s really appreciated. I’ve moved the two lower canes down to the bottom trellis. Looking forward to seeing the blooms!
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I hope you'll send a photo when it blooms  :)
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    Aren't climbing roses supposed to be leggy?   Isn't that what you bought it for, to climb?

    The task you have is training, not pruning.  Train it to where you would like it to flower.  You can be rough.  Watch it, it may fight back.  But "The New Dawn" is not yhe thorniest.  

    Note: "The" not "a", it's part of the name and confusingly often listed alphabetically under "T".
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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