How to prune climbing roses and shrub roses

When it comes to climbing roses, yearly attention pays dividends in improved appearance, better flowering, and easier maintenance. One of the most important points to keep in mind if you have climbing roses is not to delay pruning — it will only become more difficult. Here are some tips to make sure your pruning jobs are easy when the time comes.

• Some climbers naturally produce more new canes than others and thus require heavier pruning to prevent undisciplined growth. But basically, all dead or weak wood should be removed in spring.

• In summer, as soon as the flowers have faded, cut back the laterals on which they were borne to within two or three buds of the main canes. Some of the older canes can be cut back to the base each spring on varieties that bloom just once, such as the 'Dr. Van Fleet'.

• On all other climbers, remove old canes only when necessary to shape the plant or to prevent overcrowding.

• New leaders, which are larger in diameter than the laterals, may appear high up on old canes. Cut these back to just above the new growth.

• Tips of laterals that are too long can be pruned back at any time.As new leaders develop, be sure to tie them to the supports. Later on they will be less supple.

• Shrub roses, particularly the species and older hybrids, are not generally found in garden centres. However, there are a few firms that specialize in old roses and will ship by mail.

• Because of their bushy and spreading habit of growth, shrub roses make excellent dense hedges that require minimal pruning. They flower best on short laterals produced each season on the older wood. Consequently, they are usually pruned only lightly.

• Included in the group of roses that grow in shrub form are species such as Rosa centifolia, R. gallica, R. moyesii, R. multiflora, and R. rugosa. In addition, there are modern shrub roses as well as hybrids developed a century or more ago.

• The hybrid musk rose 'Cornelia' has bronzy foliage and large clusters of flowers. It is particularly floriferous late in the season.

• Pruning can be done any time during the dormant season. However, many of these roses bear beautiful hips (seedpods) in the fall; so pruning should not be done until these have shrivelled, been eaten by the birds, or been picked to make jelly. Pruning can then best be done in early spring.