HOW TO PRUNE RAMBLING ROSES
Rambling roses have long, flexible stems growing from the base of the plant. They are easy to train along trellises and fences and are good for covering walls. They are bigger than climbing roses with a spread of up to 5 meters.
Ramblers tend to produce their flowers on last year’s growth and usually bloom just once in a season with a mass of smaller blooms.
Prune rambling roses in summer, immediately after flowering and usually no later than August otherwise you could be removing next year’s flowering stems. Pruning ramblers isn’t essential but may be necessary if it’s outgrowing it’s space.
✓ Remove any dead or diseased branches.
✓ If you want to thin out the rose, remove one in three of the oldest stems back to ground level.
✓ Prune side shoots and unwanted growth back to the desired length, allowing room for next year’s growth.
Saw away any dead stumps at the base of the rose.
✓ Repeat-flowering ramblers should be deadheaded in order to stimulate more flowers. Follow the stem back from the bloom until you get to the first set of five leaves which are pointing outwards away from the plant. Cut the stem just above those five leaves.
