How do I prune a new clibing rose?

My mother in law just bought me 5 climbing rose bushes from the clearance rack from a garden store. They still look pretty good, but I'm wondering about how to go about pruning. One website says to leave them alone for 2-3 years then chose the best shoots? And what about the spent flowers? Do I cut them off, down to the 2nd or 3rd leaf? I love roses and don't want them to die! Thanks ;-)

You typically prune roses in the spring before they start to put out new shoots. I would let them get established, put some root stimulator fertilizer and a rose fertilizer (like Rosetone) and let them grow a little. Prune any dead canes, but otherwise let them do their thing for a season.

Thanks Allison! That reminds me, I think I have some rosetone that my Grandmother gave me some time ago. I will get to work on it, thanks again.

Actually you really should not prune climbers for a few years till they are established. Never prune roses in the fall of the year as the rose will think it needs to start growing again and what you really want is for it to go dorment. In spring you can cut back the dead canes, but leave most of the canes on it as you want it to climb, right?

I dead head every day so the plant will put its energy into blooming more roses. Sometimes I dead head just the spent bloom and depending on how long the cane is or where the dead bloom is, I will cut to the 3rd leaf.

Pictured is my New Dawn climber.

Happy Gardening!

Deann

As we are well into summer and roses are well established into the season, your new Roses have probably been neglected and unwanted so I would get them off to the best start by treating them like you would a sick relative ha, ha, ha.

Find a large bucket / container, sit the plants in this and fill with water, in the shadiest area, while the Roses are having probably their first good drink for months, you start to prepare the ground where you want them to be planted.

Dig the holes 3 times the size of the pot and 3 times deeper, into the holes add a good couple of spades either animal manure (well rotted) other composted material that will add air / feed / help retain water at roots and make for a good soil to give your neglected Roses a good start, I would also add a handful of either multi purpose plant food, a Rose food or fish / bone / and blood as these plants will be in there growing place for years to come and this gives them a good start. you can add the feed into the soil you removed from digging the holes and as you refill with the Rose in place, the feed will be spread around the roots. When you remove the plant from the pot, try to loosen some of the roots (gently) this is to prevent all the roots growing around in a circle as in the pot.
As you backfill the hole, gently press down the soil with your feet so there are no air pockets left in the soil, once the Rose is in place and the hole filled, water again well, if you live in a warm climate I always recommendrecommend you sink a plastic upturned juice bottle (cut the bottom off) sink into the hole as you backfill and when you water the plants, you fill the bottle up and the water falls down to the roots where it is much required.

As for pruning, everyone Is correct that you don't really prune climbing Roses for a couple of years unless you need to remove broken or crossing branches, but because your plants have been neglected, I would remove the growth by a third, you wont get many or none this year but that is good because you want these Roses to put all there energy into making good roots, I would NOT use any spray chemicals or growth hormone stuff on these plants as it is too late in the season to be forcing new growth, let them settle down naturally and they will be all the stronger next year.
Older gardeners Like my Dad used to tie there climbing Rose branches to a framework when the growth was softer in spring and he tied the branches to slope down wards, this made all the strength all the way to the tips of the branches and gave more stronger flowers, by 2-3 years the shrubs/ climbers were covered in flowers, if you don't do this, most climbers will eventually be bare at the bottom and all the growth / flowers way up top where you cant see or enjoy them.
There will be books on the subject in the library or book shops to look over for info.
Hope all this helps you out and those Roses do the business, they deserve a good chance to please. Good Luck, WeeNel.

The best thing you can do for roses is alfalfa meal--they thrive in it. Also, planting garlic by each rose wards off bug attacks. I don't prune climbers at all for 3 years, except for deadwood. Also, you need to know whether the variety blooms on old wood, new wood, or both.