Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: Carrotcake on July 09, 2010, 22:41

Title: What would you do with these roses?
Post by: Carrotcake on July 09, 2010, 22:41
(http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww209/doods16/P1000114.jpg)

I am looking for an expert as I am always confused by roses. Can anyone help me identify what type they are, and therefore the best way to prune them to bring them back to health?  :unsure:

They don't get a lot of sun so could it just be a case of wrong plant in the wrong place?
Title: Re: What would you do with these roses?
Post by: Hey Jude on July 09, 2010, 23:11
Not sure what type they are Carrotcake, but I'd leave them until the autumn then dig in loads of manure and compost, and next Feb/March I'd prune them down to about 18 inches, this will give you lots of new growth - cut out completely anything that looks diseased, and any stems that are crossing over each other. Look for where a bud is forming - they'll be obvious when you get close, and then cut about a quarter/half an inch above the forming bud, don't leave any more than that as the stem will die back towards the bud and you'll have unsightly black bits!
If they're really bugging you now, it won't harm them to cut them back by about half, they won't produce anything this year, but may look a bit tidier, and then concentrate on them October time. Hope this helps, it's what I've done in the past. Jude. PS those are perfect walls for roses - they'll look fab!
Title: Re: What would you do with these roses?
Post by: Trillium on July 10, 2010, 04:24
I agree with Jude - wait until fall, feed them well and in spring give them all a good pruning which is what they desperately need. For more flowers, train new shoots at about a 45 degree angle.
Title: Re: What would you do with these roses?
Post by: Carrotcake on July 10, 2010, 07:28
Thank you both.

Why can't the books make it that easy?  :D
Title: Re: What would you do with these roses?
Post by: mobilekat on July 10, 2010, 08:40
Some books like to leave you needing more info, then you will buy their next book!

Good luck with the roses!
Title: Re: What would you do with these roses?
Post by: fatcat1955 on July 10, 2010, 21:38
They look like climbers, so i would bend the leader back down to ground level in an arched shape. Then you should get new shoots growing vertical to cover those walls.
Title: Re: What would you do with these roses?
Post by: Goosegirl on July 11, 2010, 14:17
Look like climbers to me too, unless they are shrub roses. Some types can be left to grow and used as climbers; however, given the wall siting, I would say climbers. Do as Hey Jude and Fatcat says and also Google RHS website and see if pruning info is on there - they're usually pretty good at explaining how to do it - though for me, I understand perfectly from the book but it goes haywire when I go outside to do it!! :ohmy: