[hoporus]

hi there
      Last year i was given a climbing rose It is about 2 foot high this year and starting to come to life     A friend has informed me  :mad:that as some of the branches are ok but some need taking off she says that if they have five leaves they can be left but a couple of the branches are long and straight and have seven leaves She says these have to be cut off as they are sort of  >:(rogue branches I do not know anything about climbing roses so would be grateful for any help  Thanks

[DavidT]

Not heard of that myself, any chance of a pic or 2?

[Loubs]

You shouldn't need to prune a climber for the first couple of years, as they usually flower on the previous years growth. And 2ft is still pretty small for a climber - I'd leave it for another seasons growth before you start to shape it. That much I think I do know.

Have never heard of the 5/7 leaf thing -  but like anything else, pruning roses can be an art form in it's own right. But I confess that I'm no expert on roses - I have a climber (Rambling Rector) doing very well & flowering beautifuly every spring that I haven't pruned at all in 7 years.

[hoporus]

thanks for the advice i think ill just leave it then and see what happens It is all a learing curve for me  and am grateful for any advice

[gillie]

I think your long straight branches with seven leaves may be suckers - that is they are growing from below the graft and will not bear the correct flowers, just single white ones if you are lucky.

Leave them for a bit if you like, but if they do not bear the same flowers as the rest of the plant cut them off right down to the place where they are shooting.  If you are not careful the suckers will take over from grafted rose.

I do not think a climbing rose which is suckering this early in its life was very well grown on the nursery.

Gillie

[Trillium]

My thoughts exactly, gillie. As for the 5 leaf thing, normally that applies to hybrid teas when you deadhead. The spent flower stem is cut back to the point where a 5 leaf cluster is, most often the 2nd set of leaves below the flower as the first is a 3 set cluster. 7 leaf clusters could indicate wild root stock for grafting but 2 yrs is young for it to appear. Hope your giver saved the receipt, hoporus, as you might want to return it.

[hoporus]

thank you for your help  your comments on the long straight branch is what i was told but i just didnt know what to do thanks for your help