Gardening expert Monty Don recommends pruning climbing roses in October to keep them flowering beautifully year after year. The job involves cutting back side shoots and tying the main stems horizontally to supports.
Why October is the right time
Unlike rambling roses, which flower on shoots produced during the previous summer, climbing roses produce flowers on shoots grown during the same spring. This means they can be cut back hard in October without sacrificing next year's display.
Monty wrote: "Prune climbing roses…Start by removing any damaged or crossing growth or any very old wood, which can be pruned right back to the ground.
"The main stems should be fanned out at an equidistance as horizontally as possible, tying them to wires or a trellis.
"Then all the side shoots growing from these main areas, which produced this year's flowers, can be reduced to a short stub of a couple of leaves.
"The effect should be a tracery of largely horizontal growth with pruned side-shoots running along their length. Finally, make sure it is all tied firmly in to avoid winter damage."
Don't confuse climbers with ramblers
Before getting the secateurs out, it is important to establish whether you have a climbing rose or a rambling rose. The two are often confused, but their flowering habits are different.
Monty explains that rambling roses flower on shoots produced the previous summer, so they should be dealt with immediately after flowering rather than treated like climbing roses in October. If you're unsure what type of rose you have, check its flowering pattern before making any major cuts.
A simple October checklist
If you have an established climbing rose, Monty's advice can be broken down into a few simple jobs:
- Remove damaged or crossing growth
- Cut out very old wood, taking it back to ground level where possible
- Spread the main stems out horizontally
- Tie the main stems securely to wires or a trellis
- Shorten the flowering side shoots to a couple of leaves
- Check that everything is firmly secured before winter
