What should I do to get foliage low down on my climbing rose?
CHRISTINE SAYS A lot of climbing roses tend to lose their lower leaves with time and only produce flowers at the top of the plant. After planting, you shouldn’t prune them during the first year. Then, in mid-autumn when the blooms of the repeat-flowering types are over, prune them by cutting each sideshoot by two thirds and leaving the main stem(s) alone. If, like yours, the rose is very bare at the base, you can cut the main stem. In this case, cut one or two shoots hard back to about 1m and new growth should come from low down. Regular feeding with a goodquality rose fertiliser in February and again in June, following the manufacturer’s recommended rates, will help to keep the plant healthy and vigorous.