Climbing rose: when and how to prune

Climbing rose: when to prune it?

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The main prune comes in February–March, before the new shoots break: you can then see the stems clearly and tell which side shoots flowered last year.

On repeat-flowering climbers, deadhead in summer, cutting back to a full leaf: that brings a second flush of flowers.

Ramblers, with flexible stems and clusters of smaller flowers, usually flower only once, in June–July, on last year’s wood. Prune them straight after flowering; in spring, only cut out dead wood.

In autumn, check the ties before the winter gales and loosely tie in long new shoots, so they don’t work loose and snap.

What else to prune in those months? February · March

Climbing rose: how to prune it?

1. Wear sturdy gloves and long sleeves, and first look at the plant as a whole: which long main stems carry it, and which side shoots have flowered?
2. Remove dead, weak and diseased wood, back to healthy wood or right down to the base.
3. Keep the long main stems and tie them in as horizontally as you can, or as a fan: the more a stem slopes, the more side shoots will flower.
4. Cut the side shoots that flowered last year back to two or three buds. Cut at a slant, just above a bud.
5. Every few years, replace an old, bare main stem: saw it off at the base and tie in a young, vigorous shoot from the base in its place.
6. Thin a rambler after flowering: take one or two of the oldest stems out at the base, tie in young shoots in their place and lightly shorten the other side shoots.
7. Mostly let a young climbing rose grow for its first two years: tie in the stems and only remove dead or weak wood.

How much to cut, and how often?

• One prune every year at the end of winter, plus deadheading in summer. Each side shoot that has flowered keeps two or three buds.
• Remove no more than one or two old main stems a year: that way the rose renews itself gradually and keeps covering the whole wall.
• Renovate a neglected climbing rose over two or three years: each year take some of the oldest stems out at the base and tie in the young shoots.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• A dense climbing rose on a wall or pergola is a favourite nesting place for blackbirds, dunnocks, robins and wrens. From 15 March to 15 August there may be nests in it, and disturbing an active nest is against the law: so prune in February or early March if you can, and look carefully first.
• With a rambler, pruning after flowering falls in the middle of the nesting season: look between the stems first, and leave a wide area around an active nest uncut until the young have fledged.
• Varieties with single or semi-double flowers attract honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees; many ramblers bear clusters of small single flowers and are alive with insects while in bloom.
• In late summer, let some of the flowers fade on the plant: varieties with single flowers form hips, which blackbirds and thrushes eat in winter.

Common mistakes

• Shortening the long main stems as you would on a bush rose: you lose flowers and the rose mostly shoots upwards.
• Letting the stems grow upright, so flowers only appear at the top.
• Cutting back a once-flowering rambler in spring, removing that year’s flowers.
• Tying stems in with wire that cuts into the bark: use soft ties and check them every year.
• Pruning in March without checking for nests first.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Bush rose
• Banksian rose
• Large-flowered clematis
• Wisteria
• Dog rose

Plant profile: Climbing rose · Pruning calendar and basic rules