Climbing roses only stay in the desired shape if they are cut regularly. So that you don't cut your climbing roses, we'll tell you when is the right time to cut climbing roses and what the right cut looks like.
If you let nature take its course when growing your climbing roses and rambler roses, the plants will grow straight up. This is not a problem in itself, because everyone likes to save space in the garden. But the rose (Rosa) is also stingy with its blossoms. So that your climbing rose does not become bare underneath and you can enjoy many flowers, a proper cut is essential. In this way, you encourage flowering and beautiful, romantic growth with the various types of climbing roses.
Do you have to prune climbing roses?
Do you have to prune climbing roses? The answer to this question is quite clear: It depends. A climbing rose will survive without a pruning and will bloom. However, the flowering will be much smaller and weaken more and more over the years. In addition, many varieties of climbing roses gradually become extremely large without a pruning, can no longer be fixed to scaffolding and can quickly become annoying with their prickly shoots. Climbing roses are therefore pruned so that they flower beautifully and because they need to be tamed a little in our gardens so as not to become a thorny undergrowth.
Pruning climbing roses: the right time
The right time depends on why you want to cut:
| cut | Time | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Pruning | spring | Stimulate Branching |
| Thinning and maintenance cut | Spring or Autumn | He alth maintenance, stimulating flowering and the formation of new shoots |
| Removal of wild shoots | All year round | Wild shoots hinder the growth of the noble variety |
| Taper Cut | Spring or After Bloom (Rambler Roses) | Reduce the rose,Vitalisation of old roses with low vigour, and willingness to bloom |
Pruning Climbing Roses: The Basics
So that the pruning of your climbing rose is really successful, we have prepared a small guide for you in advance. Always use clean and sharp pruning shears to avoid bruising at the cutting point. For very old roses, pruning shears or a pruning saw can also be used. Start about five millimeters above an outward-facing bud. Do not leave a large butt and make the cut at a slight angle. If necessary, attach free shoots to the climbing aid after cutting.
Summary - Pruning Climbing Roses: The Basics
- Use a sharp and clean rose scissors, pruning shears or pruning saw
- Start the cut at an angle and about 5 mm above an outward-facing bud
- Don't Leave Butts
- Attaching the remaining shoots to the trellis
Pruning climbing roses correctly in spring, summer and autumn
Regardless of whether you want to cut young climbing roses or rejuvenate old climbing roses, the time and type of pruning are always aimed at a vital plant and a strong blossom base.
Pruning climbing roses in spring
Spring is the peak season for pruning roses. Plant pruning as well as thinning and maintenance pruning are carried out in spring.
Instructions: Prune climbing roses after planting
Do you plant a rose in spring or did you plant a new, beautiful resident in your garden in autumn? It doesn't matter when you plant, the corresponding pruning is only carried out in the spring. To do this, proceed as follows:
- Remove dead or diseased wood at the base or transition to he althy wood
- Remove comparatively thin shoots
- The shoots should not be too close together, should not cross or even rub against each other. Remove excess shoots
- If necessary, remove wild shoots that are growing out of the base of the rose
- Shorten all shoot tips by 10 cm to encourage further branching
Tip: Don't prune your roses if there are still many frosty days and nights ahead. Do you haveForsythia in the garden, you can use the start of flowering as a guide. Because the flowering of the forsythia marks the first spring in the phenological calendar and thus indicates that warmer days are likely to follow.
Pruning instructions: cut back climbing roses in spring
Knowing how your rose will bloom is crucial for the annual pruning. Depending on how this is ordered, you will find different tips for the correct pruning of your climbing roses in the instructions below.
Are these roses that bloom once or more?
- Climbing roses that bloom once show their colorful blooms in spring - after that they don't bloom again for the whole year. Most Rambler roses bloom once
- Climbing roses that bloom more often, on the other hand, have a first wave of flowers in spring and a second in summer
Annual pruning promotes a rich bloom, multiple branching and ensures that the rose remains vigorous and vital instead of getting old, senile and lazy.
Proceed as follows when pruning climbing roses in spring:
- Remove dead, frozen or diseased wood at the base or transition to he althy wood
- Remove comparatively thin shoots
- The shoots should not be too close together, should not cross or even rub against each other. Remove excess shoots
- If necessary, remove wild shoots that are growing out of the base of the rose
- In the case of climbing roses that bloom once, older, lazy shoots can be removed in spring at the base or just above the emergence of a younger shoot
- For climbing roses that bloom more frequently, all side shoots are shortened to 3 to 5 eyes (about 15 cm) in spring after the first wave of flowers. In the case of climbing roses that bloom more often, older, lazy shoots can also be removed in spring at the base or just above the emergence of a younger shoot
Tip: Strong leaders of the climbing rose can remain on the rose for three to four years. After that, their flowering usually slows down and they should be removed in favor of younger, new leaders.
Pruning climbing roses in summer
Only in the case of climbing roses that bloom more often are the faded side shoots removed again and again throughout the blooming season. In this way the plant diligently always formsnew flowers, as it aims to produce seeds for reproduction.
On the other hand, climbing roses that have bloomed once are not cut in summer.
If you want to keep beautiful red rosehips for decoration and bird feed in winter, cut them last blossoms of the roses.
Tip: When cutting faded climbing roses, not only the flower including the flower stalk is removed, but the entire small shoot with all the flowers attached. The rest of the side shoot would die off later anyway and could serve as an entry point for fungal diseases if left on the plant.
Pruning climbing roses in autumn
Climbing roses can also be pruned in autumn. However, this is only recommended if the rose is in a sheltered place and mild winters are common in the region. Good winter protection in the form of fir branches or bast mats also makes autumn pruning possible. Fall pruning is the same as spring pruning, but should be a little less radical to be on the safe side.
Pruning Climbing Roses: Peculiarities of Rambler Roses
Rambler roses are called "Schlingrosen" in German and have special properties. Their shoots are less stiff and firm. They grow less sparsely and branched, but rather in long rods in the air or creeping on the ground. Almost all ramblers flower only once a year, but there are big differences when it comes to timing. Any time from spring to late summer is possible, depending on the variety. Ramblers are generally pruned after the flowers have completely faded, which can be in spring, summer or autumn depending on the variety.
Tutorial: Prune Rambler Rose
- Remove dead or diseased wood at the base or transition to he althy wood
- Remove comparatively thin shoots
- The shoots should not be too close together, should not cross or even rub against each other. Remove excess shoots
- Remove older, lazy shoots at the base or just above the emergence of a younger shoot
- Shorten all faded side shoots to 2 or 3 buds
Summary: Pruning Climbing Roses Properly
- Climbing roses are thinned out when they are planted by removing dead, diseased and too narrow wood. All shoots are shortened by 10 cm
- In spring or autumn, the thinning andthe maintenance cut is made. Old and diseased shoots in particular are removed or shortened. A radical rejuvenation cut is also possible. In the case of climbing roses that bloom more often, after the first wave of flowers the faded side shoots are shortened to 3 to 5 buds
- In summer, only the faded side shoots are removed from climbing roses that bloom more often
- In the case of rambler roses, all faded side shoots are shortened to 2 to 3 buds after flowering
- The removal of wild shoots is possible and important all year round
Pruning Old Climbing Roses: Rejuvenation Pruning
Old roses tend to flower less and grow slowly with thin shoots. Here, in addition to the right rose fertilization, a rejuvenation pruning of the old climbing rose can help.
- All climbing roses can be pruned for rejuvenation in spring if necessary. All shoots are removed except for the youngest ones close to the ground. If no young shoots have grown, all shoots are shortened by half in a year. In the following year, young shoots should have emerged and the old ones can be removed completely
- A radical pruning is also possible with Rambler roses that have become too large. For this purpose, almost all shoots are removed close to the ground after flowering. Only the young rods from the current year remain
Tip: Regular rejuvenation pruning is essential, especially when it comes to pruning climbing roses on the rose arch. Too old and thick shoots are no longer flexible and can hardly be removed from the framework, but almost no longer bloom. Therefore, be sure to always remove old shoots and guide new shoots into the rose arch.
Are you interested in caring for climbing roses and would you like to be crowned King of Roses with the most beautiful flowers every year? We explain how you should care for climbing roses and thus increase flowering.