Monty Don's gardening tip to 'encourage repeat flowering' on rambling roses
Whether you have rambling roses in the front or back garden, or both, July will see an abundance of flowers on the rose plant.
Monty Don said: “Roses are still looking good at the beginning of the month.”
Yet, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) cautioned that rambling roses “usually flowers only once, normally around June”.
To encourage the rambling roses to flower more than once, Monty Don shared his top gardening tip.
“It is very important to keep dead-heading roses as the petals fade to encourage repeat flowering,” said Monty Don. “But some roses have now finished all that they are going to do this year.”
Rambling roses, such as Wedding Day, Paul’s Himalayan Musk or Felicite Perpetue, are only going to flower once this year – no matter what you do.
These types of rambling roses “should be pruned as soon as they have finished flowering”.
Rambling roses “are best grown into a tree” to be left to grow wildly, although damaged or old shoots are best cut back.
“If training round a vertical support it is best to wind the stems in a spiral,” said Monty Don.
“Otherwise, the more horizontal the stems can be trained, the more flowers will be produced next year.”
Pruning of rambling roses is likely not needed until late summer, after the heady display of flowers has faded.
Effective pruning requires the removal of any dead, damaged or twiggy growth, as well as any dead, diseases, dying and weak shoots.
Roses are best prepared for the next summer by being given rose fertiliser during late autumn or winter.