Rose pruning

[lizwizz]

I have a rose in my garden which was there when I moved in and I don't know what kind it is. I pruned it in early spring as I would for a non climbing rose. This summer it put on loads of growth and grew to about 10ft high, but produced no flowers. It looks otherwise healthy. I suspect I pruned it wrongly, but as I don't know what kind of rose it is, I still don't know what to do. Do you think its more likely a climber? If so how and when do I prune it? Any advice would be welcome.

[zxyvixy]

wow thats a big one,you will need a very big ladder too prune it.are you sure it is a rose bush? could be prickerly elm? but you need too cut it right back so it will grow sometime in march.

[Clanad]

I suspect that it is a hybrid of some kind... a floribunda or perhaps even a tea rose. But... it's entirely possible that the plant has reverted to wild growth. Take a look at the base of the plant. If it's a hybrid, there will be a knot about 3 to 6 inches above ground level. If that's observed, then look to see if the large runners you're describing originate below this graft point. If so, they are runners from the original "wild" graft recipient. You can try to salvage the plant by cutting these below ground level, but it's been my long experience once a rose starts this kind of growth, it's best just to dig it up and start again.

I take it from your post that you've never really seen th erose bloom since you;ve moved in. I suspect, if that's the case, it has been this way for some time...

Best of luck!

[lizwizz]

Thanks. Yes its definitely a rose. The vigorous shoots I describe originate from several points up the main trunk, which is about 1.5" in diameter. I can't see any kind of knot or graft point on the main trunk. And, no I have never seen it bloom. Would it have done this (vigorous growth and no flowers) if it was a climber and I pruned it incorrectly?
I just had another look at it and it looks as though the main trunk stops about 3-4ft high almost as if it has been pruned as a standard.

[Clanad]

Other than choosing the wrong time of year, it's almost impossible to prune a rose incorrectly. Here, in the western U.S., we have some fairly severe winters (-20 degrees F) and yet we grow some beautiful roses. I cover them in the winter, but I digress... After your rose has solidly gone dormant (a week or two of at least 20 degrees F or lower) prune it severely. If you have good growth lower on the main stem, I cut it back to say, 2 feet tall overall or less. If you haven't had consistently cold weather, wait... even if you have to wait until near spring.
Since you've never seen the rose bloom, I'd caution you that it's possible that the previous owner had actually planted another rose quite near this one off of which this one sprouted as a wild rose as mentioned previously. This is not uncommon and since the "wild" shoots grow vigorously many inexperienced rosarians leave them expecting such vigorous growth to produce splendid blooms... which is rarely the case. Give it another season after pruning as suggested, fertilizing first thing in the spring (I like the 4 inch long fertilizer spikes formulated for roses, two to a plant) and assure it gets at least an inch of water a week, but mulch the roots to keep them cool...
Best of luck!

[lizwizz]

Thanks Clannad. We don't get such severe weather here in the East Midlands, but we have had a couple of night at -5 already. I was interested to know what you said about the other rose. There is another spindly looking rose about 6 feet away from it which I haven't decided what to do with it yet. I wonder if it could have come from that? It flowered this year, but I thought of moving it as its in the wrong place, but haven't done so yet. I might give it another try as you suggest, but am tempted to dig it up. Thanks for the advice!

[Bromsgrove]

Hello! Now is the ideal time to move your spindly rose. Cut the growth back by about two thirds, and replant. In spring you may need to cut back a little die back. Feed with a good rose fertiliser in spring. this will encourage bloom and strengthen the spindly growth.For your other rose, cut back growth now by about two thirds and feed with rose fertiliser in spring. As has been said I imagine it's a floribunda rose. I think the thing to avoid is giving it a nitrogen based fertiliser, which just encourages growth. Hope you will soon be enjoying flowers next summer

[lizwizz]

Thanks Bromsgrove. Having looked again at my vigorous rose, its actually got about 15ft of growth on it. I think its got one more chance then its out with the spade!