I can't say if pruning it back will make it give you more basal canes or not but I have pruned mine quite deep several times and it grows right back. Sometimes with a vengeance, lol! Mine only has about 3 basal canes but they're huge and throw off a ton of laterals that bloom. Mine gets really tall too and I've put it on a trellis and wrapped the canes down. then it just throws more laterals even taller!

Nicholas - what climate zone are you in? If you do not know, then what part of the country/world are you gardening in?

I ask because if you are in a warm zone, you might want to treat GT as a climber - mine is about 8 feet tall, and in the Fall puts out canes that are much taller.

If you want to hard prune it, go right ahead - mine has been hard pruned, but as seil says, that just makes it explode with growth, mostly up! Won't hurt it, though.

Jackie

I'm in zone 6B. Basically, western, central NJ.

I'd prefer not to grow it as a climber since it's not really in an area suited for growing it 8 ft+.

I've had success keeping it about 6ft, with some canes probably being a bit longer but looping down.

I really was just wondering if a harder prune is called for now that it's well established. Or it I should just clean it up, cutting back just the top third and shortening some of the longer, more lateral canes.

This post was edited by nicholas.delo on Sun, Feb 16, 14 at 20:05

Or it I should just clean it up, cutting back just the top third and shortening some of the longer, more lateral canes.

I say go for this option.

Kate

Graham Thomas IS a climber. You will be hard pressed to keep it as a shrub.