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climbing rose

diggingdorisdiggingdoris Posts: 512
in Problem solving
I planted a Paul's Scarlet climber up a narrow arch a few years ago. It has grown well but I would like to prune it so I have flowers lower down. It has only one thick stem reaching up about 5ft where it then becomes a Y shape. Can I prune it lower than the Y? I don't mind losing flowers for a year if I can get a better shape eventually.

Posts

  • Mr. Vine EyeMr. Vine Eye Posts: 2,182
    Roses will shoot from low down, even right from the base if cut back hard. Shouldn’t be a problem but would be good to see pictures! It is getting late for dramatic reductions though, best done in winter so you’ll have to do it soon!

    Then what you want to do is train new shoots as horizontally as possible - which on a trellis or arch may mean zigzagging up the vertical sides until you get to the curve of the arch. According to the DA website Paul’s scarlet has plentiful pliable stems - so that shouldn’t be a problem.

    Keeping them between horizontal and 45 degrees will mean more growth of buds lower down the stems and therefore more flowers. 
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