I look after my bush roses really well & they always reward me with stunning displays. This year I have planted climbers for the first time. Garden centre staff told me to cut them down to ground level. Seems odd to me. Help!
Pendant, you can prune climbers now or over the next few weeks. Cutting them down to ground level is only done to encourage new shoots for next year. I only do that though to regenerate older climbers. For newly planted ones I let them establish in their first year then in the second I take them down to about 4-6 inches.
Khenman shrub roses can be cut back now by half. Then prune back quite hard in spring.
Jacqui if they are already in pots then yes. If not leave them if you can. If you can't leave them then wait till they're dormant dig them up and heel them in in some spare ground water well prune them hard and then plant in spring or as soon as the new ground is ready.
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Pendant, you can prune climbers now or over the next few weeks. Cutting them down to ground level is only done to encourage new shoots for next year. I only do that though to regenerate older climbers. For newly planted ones I let them establish in their first year then in the second I take them down to about 4-6 inches.
Khenman shrub roses can be cut back now by half. Then prune back quite hard in spring.
Jacqui if they are already in pots then yes. If not leave them if you can. If you can't leave them then wait till they're dormant dig them up and heel them in in some spare ground water well prune them hard and then plant in spring or as soon as the new ground is ready.
Hope that helps everyone.
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