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 QUESTION: I have a 3 year old Lady Banks Yellow Rose -- the first year I had a fair amount of blooms...mulched well the first winter with organic matter and bone meal...2nd year...COVERED in blooms so you could hardly see a green leaf. Still didn't prune it...now its 3rd year it was over 12 feet tall but hardly bloomed at all. I know I need to prune it as it will only bloom on new canes? but do I cut it all the way back? Or how do I identify what canes to cut back? I am in Rural South Carolina not too close to the coast though. We will have our first freeze soon.
ANSWER: Lady Banks can really get out of hand and grow like a large drunken spider. It usually starts out making lots of blooms and then starts making lots of growth at the expense of blooming. You are right it needs to be cut back so it will have the energy to make more flowers. If you think the rose would go through the winter without any dieback, then prune it now but if you feel it may be too tender, then I would wait until next spring and then cut it right back to where you want it . Hope this helps.
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QUESTION: So do I just prune the entire bushes down to a level of say 2 feet high or do I pick and choose canes that are older? and if so how do I identify the older canes or which ones to cut down?
Answer Sorry for the confusion. I have a tendency to make pruning easy especially when I have pruned a couple of hundred roses! If you want to prune for flowers then as you have said, you leave the last years growth. Usually the difference between the newer and older canes is the colour. With the banksias the new growth should be a brighter lime green. The general rule for once blooming shrubs is to prune right after they have finished flowering and will be setting next years flower buds. That way it makes it easier to see what you are doing. I had suggested a couple of feet because although you will not see as many flowers, if any, it is one way to keep it under control if it has got away on you. If you want it large or at a certain size, then this rose must be pruned during the year also. Such as during the summer when it makes those fishing rod type canes, simply cut them back. This rose is known as a Tombstone rose which means nothing, weather, wind, lack of water or humans will kill it. It also is easy to make more Lady Banks as the cuttings strike easily.
