AboutLynnette Payne Expertise I am knowledgeable in all aspects of growing roses, especially their disease problems. I can also help with organic growing of roses.
Experience I have grown roses for over 50 years, worked in a rose nursery in the Pacific Northwest and now, thanks to retirement, have managed to stuff over a 800 roses into an acre of land.
Organizations Vice president of a large garden club.
Publications Have written the modern and antique FAQs for Gardenweb. Answered Questions on AllExpert when it first started and have a rose information website with photographs which is still being expanded.
www.theoldrosarian.com
Education/Credentials I studied under a British Rosarian in regards to rose history, blood lines, identification, breeding, diseases and propagation.
Question My Don Juan has several branches. Some are green but do not look as strong as the newer shoots. The newer ones are getting long enough to bend an tie out along the fence. I am wondering if I should prune the weaker looking ones and just keep the stronger ones.
Answer There are two types of new growth. One is the main canes that come from the base and these are the ones that will be the strongest and the longest. Those are the ones you try to bend or tie onto a trellis or an arch. The others are what are called laterals and they will grow from these long ones. This is where the flowers will come from. If your weaker ones are laterals, then just let them grow, if they are coming from the base I would also let them grow and here is the reason why. Don Juan does not make a lot of canes from the base so no matter whether they are thick or thin, I would keep them as that may be all you ever get. The general rule for a climber in regards to pruning, is to just let it grow for about three years and then if it outgrows it allotted space, you can then trim it back.
