where to cut?

Here goes,

I have no knowledge of how to tend to these beautiful plants and would like some advice.
I know to keep the foliage clear of the plant due to black spot and have cut back all dead wood.
The thing I am after is how and where do you cut stems to get the best growth from the climbers.
Also I can tie in the leaders to wires on the fence, so enabling good growth from the laterals coming from the tied in leaders.
If you wish to take the picture and edit it for the purpose of instruction please do.

 

Hi Landimad

Took me a few minutes to work out that you were talking about climbing roses but here goes. I'm no pruning expert but this is my gut feeling.

Rose on the right: I wouldn't do much to it except slightly shorten those long whippy lengths if desired. I think it is the type to throw out long flexible lengths each year which will branch and flower well next summer. So don't cut them right off as they will bear flowers this summer! You can cut out the old, branched, flowered growths in autumn. Am I right in thinking it has only been in a year or two? You could fan them slightly and tie them in, but basically, they want to go skywards and it probably won't be very easy to stop them. You could remove at the source any that grow inwards, cross/rub against another branch, or are in the way. But if you didn't it wouldn't matter too much.

Rose on the left: A very different habit of growth. This one looks like it wants to form a haphazard framework of ungainly branches, like a lot of climbing roses. I would cut the main branches fairly low, retaining those which you want to keep as a main framework, removing most of the small twiggy stuff which probably flowered last year. Always prune to a bud facing in the direction you want it to grow, probably sideways in your case. Avoid pruning to an inward facing bud. Main framework branches can be tied in where you would like them.

Don't worry too much about getting it exactly right as it will probably flower fine no matter what you do to it and you are unlikely to kill them by pruning.

 

Thank you Madahhlia,

I have now cut back some of the growth and tied in the rest for now.
As the new growth comes along I shall mark this for cutting back in the autumn so as not to disturb the thicker stuff.
Spinney rose on the left is Celebration and the one on the right is Arthur Bell.
Many spikes and loss of blood later we have a frame beginnings.
Plasters needed even through the welders gloves they bit me

 

Sorry for my error,

Arthur bell and crimson cascade are the ones not celebration as this one is in a pot.

These are all about three years old in the ground bought from a reputable rose supplier in five litre pots.

Hope this helps.

 

In addition to all valuable advice above, I believe these two videos make a very good tutorial on handling climbing roses:

How To Pillar A Rose - YouTube

Pruning & Controlling a Climbing Rose - YouTube

Best luck!

 

Angelina,
As mine are still small they will not require the drastic work in the video.
I will keep it for future reference though.

Wiseoldowl,
They say that they are disease resistant, but to my disbelief they both have Black spot. Leaves and old twigs are cleared away from the base, but still it returns.
Toprose will be used as soon as the growth starts again though.

 

Just a quick shout to let you know that they are both budding up nicely now. Thanks for the tips on pruning these loverly climbers. :grouphug: