Hi i planted 2 A Shropshire Lad roses from David Austin last year next to an arch i used to have clematis on. I've never grown a rose up an arch before, i've been looking on youtube to see any videos but not seen any. Any help will be great.
Well that looks very nice, I presume your arch is pressure treated?.. apart from training the shoots as they grow taller towards the arch... I use green string... there isn't much to say other than it's not a good idea to leave weedy growth around the base like that... I'm assuming they are weeds?.. other than a few small annuals it's best practice in the early years not to have anything growing around the base of your roses... it's ok when established... but you will be wanting to keep the area clear to encourage basal growth..
I'm not sure how long it takes for this rose to ascend, but I wouldn't prune much until it reaches the apex... just deadhead... hopefully it will send up good basals later this year then it will leave its shrubby habit behind...
Well yes I'm afraid so... that square area does need to be kept clear for the time being.. the Geraniums will totally smother the base of your roses and competing for all available moisture, and you really don't want that happening... I do it in my garden but the roses are established for several years, I can get away with it... ...sorry...
...just to add, you could get away with leaving one or two at the corners, the other side of the arch base, on the step side... I don't think those would interfere too much... it's the ones right next to the roses graft union that would bother me really..
Also.. remember that I'm only advising... I'm not telling... so it's your garden and you do whatever you want with it, so if you want to keep those Geraniums in place that's up to you.. your roses might well grow through them, sometimes they do... like this below.. but as you asked I can only advise best practice.. best of luck with your roses and let us know how they get on..
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I'm not sure how long it takes for this rose to ascend, but I wouldn't prune much until it reaches the apex... just deadhead... hopefully it will send up good basals later this year then it will leave its shrubby habit behind...
...sorry...
...just to add, you could get away with leaving one or two at the corners, the other side of the arch base, on the step side... I don't think those would interfere too much... it's the ones right next to the roses graft union that would bother me really..
but as you asked I can only advise best practice.. best of luck with your roses and let us know how they get on..