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summer pruning
hi all, I hve a Gertrude Jekyll rose a few years old, it flowers ok, but very high, it is in northwest position so doesn't get much more than 3 houers sun though it has got lots of new shoots low down, if I prune now and lose a few flowers will it be more compact and flower lower next year? thanks in advance again
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How high is "very high"?
Can you post a photo?
GJ is one of the roses David Austin describe as being able to grow as a short climber to 2m or so. I think the best option now is to give it a specialist feed for roses or tomatoes to encourage flowering and, when you dead head the flowers, cut the stem down low to a leaf node with a bud in it.
Next spring, around late Feb or mid March depending on how bad the winter is, cut it down low to a healthy bud and give a generous feed of blood, fish and bone for general health and then a feed of specialist rose food to promote flowering.
Rosemummy, if you've got new shoots low down, you'll get flowers in the next few weeks. If you feed now make it a small feed, not strong, just enough (dessert spoon is enough). Cutting back the top growth will make it flower more quickly. Then do as obelixx suggests, weather dependent of course.