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The One Essential Thing To Know When Pruning Climbing Roses

comments (0) December 30th, 2011 in blogs

Paul Zimmerman, contributor

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Photo: Paul Zimmerman Roses

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I get lots of questions on pruning roses and of these the most are on pruning climbing roses. There is a great deal of confusion among gardeners on exactly how to go about this. I’ve done a video on it and you can see it in a previous post by clicking here.

But even with the video I want to take a moment before pruning season to make sure all of you clearly understand the one essential thing you need to know when it comes to pruning climbing roses.

That is the different between main canes and laterals (or side shoots).

Once you understand the difference and how each one functions, pruning your climbing rose will suddenly be far less intimidating. So, here we go;

A main cane is a cane that grows up from the base of the plant - or at least from the bottom one foot. They are vigorous, the thickest part of the rose and grow to the full height of the plant. There can be two, three and many more.

Think of them as the trunks of the rose just like the trunks of a tree.

The laterals (or side shoots) grow off the main canes. They are usually thinner, have more foliage and bear the blooms at their tips.

Think of them as the branches growing off the trunks of the tree.

This may be confusing to read but stand in front of a climbing rose, start to look at it, imagine the structure of a tree and it will become clearer. It’s a great idea to do this when the rose has dropped all its leaves like, if you live in a cold climate, now.

The main canes are the structural, supporting, part of the climbing rose and the laterals grow off of them.

Because the main canes provide the structure is why you never prune them back. You can nip the ends by about ¼ their length but never, ever, ever hard prune down to two feet or less.

However you can prune the laterals all you want. I generally prune them to within one to two feet of the main canes. And I’ll do this all year to keep the rose tidy. After a bloom flush is the best time.

Let’s get back to the tree analogy for a moment. Have you ever seen a tree surgeon prune a tree by cutting the trunk in half? No, they trim away at the branches but leave the main structural parts of the tree (the trunks) intact. It’s the same with climbing roses.

Understanding this one essential thing about climbing roses will make it far less intimidating to stand it front yours with a pair of pruners later this winter.

And one other essential thing. Wear a good thick pair of gloves when pruning climbing roses!

Happy Roseing & Happy New Year

Paul

posted in: Pruning

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About this blog

Everyone loves roses. If you always wanted to add roses to your garden but were too intimidated by their diva reputation, Roses Are Plants, Too is the blog for you.

Paul Zimmerman has grown thousands of roses for over 15 years and for ten of those years in a sustainable manner. His common-sense approach shows you how to integrate garden roses into your landscape by looking at them as nothing more than flowering shrubs, all the while encouraging you to trust your own "Gardener's Instincts" in the care of these beautiful plants.

You will learn how to prune and train climbing roses, and how to get the most "ka-bloom" out of your shrub, David Austin and Knockout rose bushes. You'll get tips on growing roses organically and trimming them all season to keep their shape. You'll discover the difference between own-root and grafted roses, and more. Much of the instruction will be via videos that Paul produces himself!

Paul Zimmerman ran a rose care company in Los Angeles before moving to South Carolina to start Ashdown Roses. Now he focuses on rose education and teaching via Paul Zimmerman Roses. He lectures, gives workshops, and judges rose trials around the world, and it is this experience he brings to this blog.

Whether you are new to roses or an experienced grower, Paul will open your garden to the vast diversity our national flower offers.

If you have questions about roses and rose care or would like to share your own experiences please visit our Roses Are Plants, Too discussion forum.

To inquire about Paul's workshops and lectures, email him at paul@paulzimmermanroses.com.