Pruning climbing roses.

I wonder, why do I always look in my pruning book first before I start pruning the climbing roses? It is useless. The examples in the book look far from the roses that grow in my garden.

In that book, all roses sprout from the base. However, that is not what is happening in my garden. One thick stem rises 2 meters high from the ground up. At that point the rose forks into an enormous “wig” of branches.

Do I have to cut the rose at ground level, so that it will branch from there? Frankly, I don’t dare to do so. A year without roses is not an option to me!

After some hesitation, I put the book back on its shelf and fetch my pruning tools. I’ll simply have to “put my mind to zero”.

First I prune out the dead wood. Next I tie the branches that want to or can be bend to the rose arch with a piece of black electrical wire. - Tip: This electrical wire can be purchased at the hardware store. The black wire is inconspicuously and can be used for several years. - The branches that can’t be bend or protrude too much I simply cut off with the loppers.

Maybe you had expected a more sophisticated tip. But my roses bloom profusely every year, so they don’t seem to mind my brutal approach.

So if you want to prune your climbing roses: Cut off what you think is too much, bind the remaining solid to the rose arch and above all, don’t to think too much!

romantischerozentuin.nl

Rosa Mme Alfred Carriere.

My pruning instructions.

The rose Mme Alfred Carriere needs pruning!

Work in progress.

That looks promising for the summer.

The electric wire is very useful in the garden. 

From above. Everything is tied up.

Summer.

The same spot. Rosa Mme. Alfred Carriere.

We have to be patient .......

..... to see the roses flowering again.