Overview

• Don explains that climbing roses bloom on current-season shoots, so October pruning encourages vigorous growth for the next flowering cycle.
• He advises wearing sturdy gloves and protective eyewear before working on thorny canes.
• Gardeners should remove damaged or crossing branches and cut out old wood, with some stems taken back to ground level.
• Main stems should be trained horizontally and tied firmly to wires or a trellis, then this year’s side shoots shortened to just a few leaves.
• On rose black spot, Don notes the issue is largely cosmetic, but plants that completely defoliate are best removed.