Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Climbing Roses Advice

nitram78nitram78 Posts: 41
in Plants
Good Morning,



I planted about 3 months back some David Austin climbing roses up my walled garden area (various Eva Harkness, Lady Hillingdon, Crimson Glory etc). Honestly the choices I went for, it's like a WI meeting in my garden, with Lady Hillingdon reminding me not to disturb them by thorning me every time *waves fists*



None have really flowered this year (apart from last years growth at the bottom), but that's fine, this year for me was getting the structures in place and roots nice and strong.



They have all reached the top of my wall already 15 - 18 feet and now peaking their lovely little heads over the top.



Should I just leave them to grow and find their own happiness or should I be cutting out the leaders?



Thanks!



Martin
«1

Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    I'd leave them to fully settle for now nitram. When they go dormant in winter about February thats the time to train them onto their eventual frame. Train laterally and /or at 45 degree's which will leave them ready to produce flowering shoots in spring. A good feed in spring will set them up for the first flush. After the first flush you can summer prune to keep them close to the wall and tie in new leaders.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,065

    Good idea to let them get established with good roots.

    For flower power, you need to be training their stems as horizontally as possible rather than letting them grow vertically.   See if you can gently bend the stems down diagonally and then later on horizontally.  This helps the flow of sap and encourages new short stems with flowering spurs.

    Climbing roses should really be pruned in winter to remove old, dead or damaged wood and any stems growing out from their supports and that can't be trained in.   The RHS offers this advice - https://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/Profile?PID=189 

    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
  • nitram78nitram78 Posts: 41
    I feel I may have slightly messed up with my lack of experience. Some like Lady Hillingdon have naturally created a mass of messy growth in all directions, however, with others I have just sent the main stems straight up as that seemed to be the direction they wanted to go.



    Does this mean I will now get flowers?

    Will next years roses flower on this years growth?
  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Roses flower on new growth, but from what you describe you really need to sort out a framework to get the best from your roses. Many people do what you've done but it's easily fixed, just leave it for now, sorting it out is better done when the climbers are dormant as you can see all the main stems and tie them into a framework. creating a framework is easier in winter as well, getting behind a rose in full leaf is difficult to say the least. Best thing you can do right now is plan the framework and get the materials necessary. Decide how much spread you need and consider how high you want it to go. When creating the framework, go as low as you can for the bottom wire and then a foot apart for each subsequent wire. This gives better coverage of the wall, or whatever the background is.You can be quite harsh with mature stems and bend them right down, the new growth will come from between the leaf axils, and grow straight up.

    It's all a learning process so don't stress about it and roses are very forgiving.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,065

    Your Lady Hillingdon is a vigorous rose and will recover.

    Do as Dave advises and take the opportunity to provide it with support - horizontal wires stretched between vine eyes screwed to a wall or fence or else trellis panels.   My preference based on experience in my garden is for wires - easy to install, discreet and needing no further maintenance if done well whereas trellis panels weather, break, need repairs or replacement.

    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
  • nitram78nitram78 Posts: 41

    Hi all,

    I think I may have confused previously.

    I already have my supports in place, however, the climbing roses have not flowered this year, but now growing out over the top (picture attached).

    Can I safety take out the leaders, hopefully encouraging growth/spread?

    image

     

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    That trellis needs to be wider to train those roses properly nitram. The leaders need to be tied in laterally or at 45 degrees. They'll be firm enough now to tie in. That will produce the flowering side shoots. For three months growth that's pretty good, so training as previously described is now the next step.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    This will be helpful - have a look at the video http://paulzimmermanroses.com/gardening/training-roses/training-climbing-roses-on-a-trellis/

    image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • nitram78nitram78 Posts: 41

    Thanks Dave and Dove,

    That video has just pointed out exactly what a tit I have been. Right, i'll see you all on the other after I been thorned to death.

     

     

     

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    We've all been there and done that Nitram image 

    If we all got it right there'd be no need for Paul Z to make his videos image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





Sign In or Register to comment.