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books on rose pruning and care
Bright star
Posts: 1,153
I have some David Austin roses planted in my garden as bare root plants last year. I just tidied them up after flowering last autumm and again this spring. Both shrubs have produced an abundance of beautifully scented roses which have flopped over due to the heavy flower heads and rain. They are obviously going to need a more serious pruning in the spring.
Can anyone recommend a book on pruning roses to promote stronger stems and get a good shape ready for next years flowering season. The roses I have are Gertrude Jekyll, Sceptre'd Isle, Golden celebration and Charlotte so far!
Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.
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I find that David Austin roses do far better with minimal pruning .... DA recommends removing no more than one third length in general ... treat them as shrub roses rather than HTs and allow them to build up a framework of branches which support each other over the following years
If you prune them harder they put up even longer growth which will flop even more.
It took me a couple of years to work this out, and now it's working and Rosa 'Mayflower' is looking great and also has a lot more blooms on it than when I pruned harder.
http://www.davidaustinroses.com/eu/advice-and-inspiration/pruning-an-english-shrub-rose
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thx dove, I read that too, but just wondered if anyone could recommend any books on how to prune and shape as well.?
It's not a book, but I find Paul Zimmerman's many online videos and explanations are the clearest I've found.
This one should cover what you need
http://paulzimmermanroses.com/gardening/care/pruning/pruning-shrub-roses/
But if you want to treat yourself and really inform your understanding of the subject, my pruning Bible is John Cushnie's How to Prune ... for many years John Cushnie was a highly respected stalwart of Gardener's Question Time
It has a comprehensive section on roses.
Pub. Kyle Cathie Ltd
ISBN 978-85626-738-0
Last edited: 31 May 2017 18:04:49
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.