ROSE PRUNING.

Northern Advocate, 12 June 1926, Page 9

ROSE PRUNING.

Successful rose growing depends very largely on pruning, on proper manuring, and perhaps to a less degree oh aspect and soil. Before commencing pruning operations it is very necessary to have a clear idea as to the nature of the types of roses that are grown and of the objects in view. Generally speaking, it may be laid down that the objects of pruning roses arc to obtain more and better blooms for as long a period and for as many seasons as possible. This suggests that the individual rose bushes are not expected to continue indefinitely, and when one jcfeisiders for a moment it is seen that this is so; for, while the garden rose is a shrub, it is not as other shrubs are, which, when properly planted and given ordinary attention, may be relied upon to continue as useful, subjects for very many years. Ordinarily, the roses in our gardens are not raised from seed, or even from cuttings, but have their origin in a bud taken from a stock plant and attached to another individual. ■Although the pruner naturally has an ©ye to its ultimate shape, the form of the bush is to some extent of minor importance: the chief duty of a rose bush is to produce bloom.

The general principles underlying tie Operation of pruning are the same i for all rose varieties; the special 1 treatment demanded by some roses can only he learned hy observation and experience. In all cases it should i» borne in mind that the flowers are going to be produced on the young shoots that spring from the buds of the previous season's growth. One of our main objects then is to encourage the development of this new wood. The shoots arc cut back in order to throw greater strength into the remaining buds, for only in this way can we obtain good strong'flowering Shoots. It is better, then, in dealing ■with a weak growing plant to-, prune to say four or five buds, whereas a strong growing bush may have as many as perhaps twelve or sixteen buds left.. Unless there should be some special reason to the contrary, all newly planted roses should be pruned as severely as possible on the first occasion after they have been planted. It may seem a covet thing to do, and one may wonder where the plants are when the pruning is finished, but the future success of the rose depends on severity of treatment at the first pruning. This is essentially necessary with subjects, for by this means they will achniTe the habit of producing annually the stout basal shoots which make such a fine display during the flowering season.

Eor established bushes the following points should bo noted;

(1) Eemovc all dead wood. This is ■not only of no use to the bush, but Is an actual encumbrance as well as ra possible source of decay and disease.

(2) Cut away as much of the old iwood as possible. It may be necessary to remove some of this right •down -to the base of the plant in •order to make the necessary room for ■th(* new shoots that are likely to •arise from near this point.

(3) Eemovc thin twiggy shoots that are too weak to bear flowers.

(W> Eemove all in-growing shoots and 'all shoots that cross one another.

(5) We now have the desired number of shoots, so that it is now only necessary to cut back to the desired number of eyes. As stated above,

the number of eyes left will depend mainly on the vigour of the plant.

All cuts should be made near the bud, and they should be clean and in a slanting direction. A sharp pruning knife is best, as it is not so likely to bruise the bark, as is the case where secateurs are used.

Climbing roses should be pruned lightly. All dead and useless wood should be removed. The more vigorous shoots should be cut back generally a quarter of their length. The lateral shoots may be cut back to two eyes. All shoots should be firmly tied in position.

The rambler rose should be pruned as soon as it has finished flowering. Some of the older shoots should be cut away down to the ground, and new ones tied up so as to take their places. Strong, healthy shoots that are needed for the next season J s bloom should be cut well back and tied into position. This should be done now, if it has not already been done.

It is a good plan to extend the pruning of, say, two or three dozen roses over a period of four or five weeks. This succession in pruning goes far to bring about a succession in bloom. The climbing roses, and those standards that are in a. sheltered position away from cold winds, are generally the best for early bloom and are therefore generally pruned first. CLIMBING EOSES. While the rambler roses do very well here —indeed, they do too Well, and they take too much looking after for so short a flowering period —they are more suitable for large gardens, where they might be used for covering places where a quick cover is required, as, for example, a bank, stone wall, tree stump, etc. They arc very neat when carefully trained to fences, but, as stated before, they require too much attention.

The large flowering roses supply more bloom over a longer period, and all things considered, they arc to be preferred. Many of the best of the ‘bush varieties are now obtainable as 1 climbers. Among the best are Climbing Lady Hillingdon, a beautiful yellow, good in the bush rose and excellent in the climber —one of the best roses in ’Whangarei; Climbing Sunburst is another splendid yellow —a beautiful rose that keeps well in the bud; Climbing Madame Chatcnay, the well-known and favourite pink rose, making a beautiful climber; Ophelia is another pink climber, stronger as a climber than in the bush form; Madame Edouard Hcrriot is a most beautiful salmon-coloured rose, unsatisfactory in the bush form, but quite hardy as a climber; Lady Gwen Colvin is also recommended as a climber —it is yellow shaded. There is a wide choice in red climbers, Chateau de Olos Vougeot being one of

the latest; this is a vexyrdark, velvety red. Pauls Scarlet Climber is fCvery showy red. Other good reds are H.Y. Machin, Plorence Veitch, Papa Cfontier and, for a shady position, Ards Bover. Miss Marion Manifold is a

beautiful climber when grown under the right treatment —a good deal of water and partial shade. Lemon Pillar is perhaps the best white, or nearly white, variety. Lady Greenhall is a pale coloured rose that is also good. Devomensis is an old

favourite, very pale creamy pink, a strong grower with a sweet scent.