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How do I prune my huge climbing rose?
Q I have a very old climbing rose, ‘Oklahoma’, that I’ve never really had the nerve to hard prune. It has lovely scented flowers but only at the top of the plant. Is it too late to cut it back now?
Lesley Johnson, via email
A Rose ‘Oklahoma’ is a climbing form of a hybrid tea rose and it ought to be possible to do some renovation and bring the flowers down into the garden.
However, it is worth noting that not all varieties respond to attempts at renovation so this may not work, but you can apply the techniques without risking the whole plant.
Renovation pruning is best done during the dormant period so you will now need to wait until next winter. The method aims to renew the plant over a three-year period, or longer if necessary. In any single year, cut up to one third of the main stems
