Paul Zimmerman has some excellent videos about pruning different kinds of roses. You may find them helpful.

Ingrid

Thanks, Ingrid.
Now that you mention it, I remember seeing one of those on training climbing roses; and I remember that I picked up some very helpful pointers. I will search them out.
Susan

I would like advice on how to make a large cut in an older rose so that it will continue to put out new growth each year.

In the past few years I have been losing older roses because I have not ever made the big cuts that will prompt the rose to grow better.

Sammy

Give this a try...Help Me Find articles/videos tab, type in pruning then hit search. See if any of these help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning articles and videos on HMF

Another excellent source is Lee Reich's book THE PRUNING BOOK. He has a whole chapter on roses, and divides the sections by the types of roses (i.e. climbing roses, hybrid teas, shrub, etc.) I use it all the time for my roses, my shrubs and our orchard.

roseseek, I did not know that those links were on HMF. Thank you so much.

I wish more people would demonstrate different types of roses. Paul Zimmerman is great, and what he said relates to my garden.

My problem is the huge roses like Penelope that are almost turning into trees. I guess the answer is to not allow them to turn into trees.

Thanks again for the link, and thank you, Susan for bringing it up.

Sammy

Or, Sammy -- LET them turn into trees.
Or let one or two turn into trees. It's really gorgeous.

Jeri

Thanks, Kim. I'm gonna go and see if there is any hope for the Eglantines that are all blooming way up over my head. Not that that is all bad. It gives me room to plant, walk, and otherwise live at ground level and still have roses "up there".....:-))))

Susan

Hi Jeri, I've missed you.

I did let them go, and did not prune the lower canes for maybe 4 years. Then all of a sudden the lower wood stopped producing good canes.

Now I am trying to save the roses, and hope I can do it. I think I am having trouble with the entire idea of cutting out old wood -- wood that requires a saw to cut it out. Penelope and Mrs. B.R. Cant are the two problems at this time.

Sammy

Then all of a sudden the lower wood stopped producing good canes.

Uh huh.

You know exactly what to do - and, yes, the word is 'saw' :)

Losing one or two of the oldest, down as far as you can go, should start it into production again. Now that they are mature it is a good idea to try to take out one every year. It is not too drastic, but it starts the cycle of regeneration.

Best wishes,
Jon

Thanks, Jon. It is hard for me to do, but I see that I need to.

Sammy

You're welcome Sammy! There are several "search" areas on HMF. You can search not only roses, but articles and publications, posts, questions and comments, and probably other things I'm not remembering. It's sometimes interesting and even instructive to search the recent posts, comments and questions and even answer a few if you have time and have experienced what the poster is asking (just as we do here). There is sufficient room on line for both sites and, believe it or not, there isn't as much over lap as you'd think. Kim

Well, well, well: It's pouring rain outside, and I'm sitting at my laptop, following threads and links and blogs by rosarians we all know and love, when suddenly I find myself reading exactly the information I started this thread by asking for. How 'bout them apples???

"The Rose Pruning Project: 4000 roses in 80 days!" was written last season by Gregg Lowery, and I think if you are contemplating the start of your own pruning ritual or ordeal or adventure or whatever, you might want to give his input a read. As is the way with blogs, you will have to scroll backwards through the entries to the beginning of the project, but....you will be rewarded.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rose Pruning Project

Sammy, that is what 'pruning saws' are for. Either that or a large loper is perfect for taking out old wood. It does feel hard/bad when you first do it. But when you are rewarded by new growth and more blooms, you will know you did the right thing.