Roses will grow big and fluffy in spring if gardeners do one thing now
Many gardeners believe that their gardens can be left to languish through the winter months. However, for those hoping for abundant blooms come spring, immediate action is required. One crucial task for climbing roses, in particular, is pruning, and now is the perfect time to get started. Typically, climbing roses are pruned during the winter, but additional care in autumn—like tying back longer shoots—is essential to protect them from harsh winds. A climbing rose will bloom repeatedly throughout the summer and into autumn, while a rambling rose usually flowers only once, around June.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), climbing roses require the support of a trellis or horizontal wires. These shoots should be tied securely to the structure to help them grow strong. For optimal results, the lowest wire should be placed 45cm (18 inches) above the ground, with subsequent wires spaced about 30cm (1 foot) apart. Gardeners interested in training their roses to grow along pillars or archways should wrap the main shoots around the supports, encouraging flowering shoots to form lower down the structure.
If the primary stems aren’t growing quickly, a method called tip-pruning can be employed. This involves cutting back to the first strong bud, located either at the tip of the stem or in the leaf axils, where buds can develop into leaves, shoots, or flowers. Additionally, gardeners should remove any dead, damaged, or diseased growth to ensure healthy development. This practice, known as “deadheading,” encourages the plant to redirect its energy into producing more flowers instead of seeds.
The key to nurturing climbing roses is to first remove any dead, diseased, or dying branches. The new shoots can then be tied to the support structure. Any flowered side shoots should be pruned back by two-thirds to maintain shape and health. If the rose is overcrowded, thinning out older branches will promote fresh growth.
Gardening expert Monty Don recommends tackling this important task before the weather turns colder. He advises gardeners to prune climbing roses now, as these roses flower on new shoots grown in the spring, meaning they can be cut back quite hard. Pruning is vital for maintaining the health and vitality of roses by removing old and dying wood to make room for new growth. During the non-flowering season, this is the ideal time to remove any plant material that no longer serves the rose’s growth.
Monty Don emphasizes the importance of using sharp, high-quality tools for pruning. Clean cuts minimize damage to the plant and prevent infection. Using the right tools for the job also ensures safety and ease. For thicker stems, he recommends using loppers, and for anything too tough for loppers, a sharp saw is the best option.
The first step in pruning climbing roses is to remove any damaged, crossing, or very old wood. Monty suggests pruning these old stems back to the ground. The main stems should then be fanned out as evenly as possible, tied horizontally to the support structure. Finally, side shoots from these main stems, which produced this year’s flowers, should be reduced to a couple of leaves to promote healthy regrowth.
