Identification and major pruning help neeed

Hi all,

My mum planted our rose bushes 28 years ago, and they're still going strong. I've been looking after them (not so well) since she passed five years ago. Up until this week I haven't done any major pruning (except to dead head) for the last three years, but I mulched and composted and watered them well.

As a result they've become pretty huge and unwieldy, with lots of criss-cross growing stems. The photos of them in full bloom are from 2 years ago and they did get bigger since then. (They still bloom wonderfully.) The photo with rose hips still on the stems is from this week.

I think the pink flowers are floribunda? And the yellow ones are English tea cluster roses?

The way the yellow one has grown confuses me. Is it a bush or shrub rose? Or just regular one that have gotten too big? The yellow ones worry me because they the wood at the base has been cracking and coming off (see photos). I assume the two branches come from the same root branch under the soil. No new canes have grown from the root branch in the last few years and only one small cane has sprouted quite low.

This weekend I've cut them back a lot (see photo) but I'm worried about cutting them back too much and harming the rose. As you can see from the photos they've already started growing significant shoots.

How much more should I cut back and when?? Also I assume I shouldn't cut the main brown branches? Because it's unlikely to grow new green stems??

Should I wait until Nov/Dec? If I cut them back a lot, will new cranes grow from the bottom or are they too old/damaged?

Thanks in advance,
Shy

 

It might be worth simplifying my question and attaching just one photo of how the rose bush looks now. What type of rose is this and how much should I cut it down (and where?)

If it's a rose bush I would think that I need to cut off just the green stems and leave the thick brown branches alone?

 

Hi Shy
I can't be certain but I'd say the yellow one is a English shrub rose , judging by the look of the flowers / size and how many are in each cluster . It is possibly a floribunda but not to worry . Does it repeat flower later on in the year September ish.

The Pink one I am very certain that is a Hybrid tea rose - one very large flower per stem.

For one I think you are being to kind to them you can be brutal with them no problem .

I am assume you want to rejuvenate the rose and make them smaller ? this will depend and what height you want the flowers . if you want a tall plant with flowers higher up leave them pruned higher for example.

Pruning advise for rejuvenating and to make them smaller below.
Pruning the Yellow rose I would cut at the level of the wall or slightly above I know looks very harsh but I more than certain it will regrow lower down. when it does re grow the pruning cuts can be tidied up later on in the year cutting back to a live stem.

Pink rose cut all stem back down to 30cm to 25cm you could go even lower to 12cm if you wish an that's it .

After pruning give them a feed with top rose or anything else you have like bone meal ask if you are unsure . And then give them a deep mulch of new compost or manure but try and keep compost / manure from touching the rose stems .

If you are unsure on something I've mentioned just ask.

 

I quite like it as a big shrub, but I've made some extra cuts to bring the height down down quite a bit.

I'm worried if I cut off too much the roses will not have enough leaves to make food and withstand a massive black spot problem that comes back and persists every year (despite using a spray regularly). Or is that concern unfounded?

For the same reason I wanted to some shoots for the hybrid tea roses.

I've noticed that almost all the stems are diseased so perhaps that's a good reason to chop away and bring them both down in height?

 

Hello SS, a big factor in combatting blackspot on roses is to ensure that the spores on old, infected leaves don't re-infect new growth. Either collecting up fallen leaves or mulching thoroughly over them, combined with spraying, should help. You're right about cutting out obviously diseased stemms, too.

 

Pretty much all of the stems are diseased, so I'm going to have cut off all green stems leaving just the thick brown brown wood - is that right?

Do I cut off just the stems or the part where it connects to a main branch?

Is now a good time to do this? Or should I wait until Nov/Dec?

 

That's a bit drastic! I'd cut out a third this spring, then another third next spring if it responds well. The final third in 2023. If you can cut back to an outward-facing bud, that will certainly ensure new shoots. Cutting back to very old wood is a bit of a gamble! I see that you do mulch them, so a light sprinkle of a balanced fertiliser under the mulch will help them push out new, healthy shoots.

 

Hello Shy. I don't know about roses, just wanted to say it is nice to see you back and hope you are keeping well. Vxx

 

Hello and thank you @Victoria! Sorry I missed your post before. I've replied to you properly in the intro thread I started last year. I haven't moved the earth - but I think I've made some decent progress.