How and when do you prune the Seven Sisters climbing rose?

Question

Mine put on a beautiful pink show in May and June and now are not blooming and are getting leggy. They are about 5ft tall and 5ft wide. Or do you prune them at all?

Answer 1

All climbers should be left unpruned for the first 2 to 3 years after planting (remove dead, weak and twiggy growth) to allow their long flexible canes to develop.

Annual pruning contributes to the health, productivity and longevity of your roses. You need to cut back some of the canes to encourage growth for next year. However, if you DO NOT prune the bushes they will get VERY heavy and leggy. Climbing roses will fall over if they get TOO top heavy. If left unpruned, a rose can expend it's energy in much spindly, twiggy growth that produces only substandard growth. You can keep some of the canes if you are trying to train the plant to be higher or wider.

You should prune your roses just after they bloom. Thin out old, dead, or weak wood. Eliminate crossing branches. Cut back growth produced during the previous year, making cuts above outward-facing buds. As a general rule, remove 1/3 to 1/2 of the length of last year's growth. Completely remove any suckers (growth produced from understock).

Good Luck!!!

Answer 2

If the rose you have is Rosa multiflora platyphylla it is a once blooming rambler. Plants produce flowers on new wood. After blooming, old wood may be pruned back to encourage new canes for next year's blooms.
It is normally more spreading than erect so pruning is needed to shape the plant or it can go to 15 feet.