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PRUNING CLIMBERS |
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In the case of climbers, as in bushes and standards, first remove all dead and worn-out wood. This process will usually entail
untying and cutting out canes that have reached two, three, or more years of age; when dealing with vigorous climbers this is no small job. Sometimes two or three hours will be spent removing useless wood from one large climber.
There remain a number of newly grown canes, some of last year's with lateral growths, and occasionally a few of the previous year's growth. The older canes often have a debilitated distal part, which should be cut away. Laterals are of two kinds-long climbing shoots without a terminal bud, and those that have flowered. The climbing lateral should be treated just as a new climbing shoot from the base of the plant. The lateral that has flowered should be shortened to two or three eyes. New canes should be shortened to hard wood and a well-developed bud. If the whole shoot is young, soft, and sappy it may be removed at the base except in very young plants; then it should be carefully retained and sheltered. All canes should be tied down fanwise on the fence or trellis. They should not be bent too low, for this may break strong shoots. In any case, no cane will flourish if too low. Pillar roses should be similarly pruned, and twined loosely round their supports. |
