Rose experts! Help with neglected roses please.

[Niecie]

I haven't been pruning my roses properly - too scared they would die! I deadhead them, cut off any dead bits and that is about it.

As a result, they have got a bit 'leggy' - is that the right word - all long stems and a few pathetic buds and leaves at the end.

The thing is we had our roof repaired last week and the scaffolding has damaged them. I am wondering if I can now take the opporutnity to cut them back hard to get rid of the snapped stems and get some shape back or whether I will be doing them irreparable damage this time of year?

Should I just cut back the damaged bits and then prune properly some other time?

How hard can I cut them back anyway?

I don't want to kill them off completely but something needs to be done.

By the way, does anybody know how long a well tended rose bush can live?

Thanks for your help.

[catinthehat]

I don't have too much time for roses other than to dig them out and burn them. However, I used to successfully prune mine with a hedge trimmer to knee height. They are a robust plant and usually have losts of life in them and would probably enjoy a proper hack back. You can google the orthodox methods if you need pictures. If the base is very gnarly it is probably quite a few years old but will still sprout back even from old wood.
If you're worried, leave it until its been wet & dull for a bit so the plant doesn't get too stressed in sunny dry conditions.
However, you must accept that the leaves will all drop off due to black spot (need lots of chemicals to control it) and that you'll have something that will slash back at you & your children whether alive or chopped off, and you'll enjoy your roses.

[Niecie]

Thanks catinthehat - you are making me wonder whether I shouldn't just dig them up myself!

However, they are under the front windows so I suspect the idea was that they give a bit of extra security (we didn't plant them) and some of them smell nice too so I might soldier on with them for another year!

I will take it to knee height then - probably leave it until Thursday after Wednesday's expected rain.

Thanks again.

[Sallypoo]

Hi Niecie,

I did watch a program that proved using hedge trimmers for climbing and rambling roses was as successful as prunning.

Do you know what type of roses you have - it does make a bit of difference how you should prune them....

Regards
Sallypoo (a bit of a gardener)

[Niecie]

Now you are asking Sallypoo! Just the ordinary bush rose I think. Don't know the technical term!

I have books but they all tell you the right thing to do at the right time of year but not what will happen if you don't follow the rules!

[kiddiz]

I can remember my dad spending ages showing me how to prune the rose bushes in the front garden of my newly purchased house. At the same time the council workers in the park across the road were butchering the roses in the park with a chain saw...literally just chopping them off about 10 inches above the ground. Mine eventually became diseased and died despite my best efforts while the ones in the park still look lovely every year.

[Chocolateteapot]

I have hacked roses completely done and they have come back fine, despite me being completely clueless.

My current thing for them is Rufus's finest (aka well rotted manure from my neighbour's horse). Stuck that around a couple of mine last week and they have gone nuts producing new shoots.

[Niecie]

Right, where are my secateurs? I'm off to hack my roses bushes to the ground.

Can anybody hazard a guess about whether I might see another bloom this year?

[meglet]

I reckon you might see a few flowers this year. I've been brutal with mine lately due to a active 20 month old in the garden, even the newer shoots have given me some flowers fairly fast.

[GentleOtter]

We were taught to prune by 1/3rd in spring and 2/3rds in autumn.

[TigerFeet]

Is it really OK to prune roses in June? I have one that looks very neglected and straggly but I have never been sure about the best time to prune it.

[Pannacotta]

Agree with hacking back and adding lots of manure - not on a sunny summers day though, your neighbours might not appreciate the whiff of Rufus' finest .

[Niecie]

That's just it Gentleotter - I know you are supposed to prune in the spring and autumn (although how and whether I do or not is another matter) but I was wondering what would happen if I did it now, because of the damage and the general bad state they are in.

Will wait until Thursday after the rain and buy some manure in the meantime.

Thanks everybody.

[Sallypoo]

Hi,

if just 'modern' bush roses then a good hack should be fine. Although a chainsaw wouldn't do this, try an make sure all the cuts are clean with no splits and this can lead to the stems dieing back further.

It they were an older style rose then you might want to be a bit more careful.

If they're damamaged make sure to cut back beyond any damamge....

Enjoy

[Niecie]

No just a modern bush rose I think although some of them do smell lovely like an old fashioned one.

I am eyeing them up waiting for rain now.

Thanks

[sophy]

i think the main reason you don't normally prune roses in the summer is that is when they are in flower, and you would be cutting off most of the flowers!

If you don't mind that then I don't think the rose bush would be damaged by pruning it now.