2d picture

The roses are not out of control. They are growing as healthy roses of that type are suppose to grow. Your expectations need adjustment. So, outside of constantly whacking it back, there's not much you can do except dig it up and do a lot of research before you replant. There are roses with much more flexible canes, so they will be easier to train long the rails. But even those will grow towards the sun.

The only thing I would do is thin it out. After it blooms cut back any secondary canes coming up from the horizontal canes to about 6 inches. If the tall canes growing straight up can't be bent, then let them bloom (if they have buds on them) and then cut them back.

Many climbers get very messy and just need to be cut back.

I think your Handels look marvelous. Obviously you don't have many deer in your neighborhood. Congratulations on growing a very healthy, happy rose.

Ohhhh. I think it's lovely. Just the kind of bush I'd take a sneaky cutting from.

M

Or,you can put a tall tripod over it,train the canes onto that,to add visual variety to your low, horizontal fence.And, if only one vertical accent looks strange, plant some more climbers with similar teepees.I know I wouldn't cut it back; it will be so beautiful covered in flowers...bart

"Your expectations need adjustment" that's not very nice

Thanks to everyone else for your advice. Cecily you are right I don't have any deer here. I am in Mid Arizona. Thanks for the very nice compliments.
I just didn't want it to get too bushy it is very close to the side walk. I guess I will try and thin it out a little maybe that will help. No blooms right now. All my roses rest this time of the year due to the 100+ heat.

Everyone else told you your expectations need adjustment. They just sugar-coated it. The point is, the rose is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. You want it to be something it isn't.

Catsrose is correct - sometimes roses get planted with a "plan" of how they will grow that is actually at odds with what is natural for the rose. Not knowing about the plan, the rose (if it is happy as yours is) may outgrow the support intended for it.

I have a Graham Thomas which I thought (because Mr. Austin told me so) would only get 3-4 feet tall. So, we planted it at the end of an oval bed in between our driveway and a brick patio. No structures, trees, etc. it got 8 feet tall, and at in the Fall puts out canes which are 10-12 feet. I think if it was up against a wall I could get it up to 15 feet in a few years. It is not out of control, it is just that in our climate that is what it decided to do. So, my DH constructed a large 8 foot tall folly for it, made out of copper tubing, which is lovely. I did adjust my expectations. It was that or move that rose to next to a building or tree, where it could continue its climb upwards.

Be happy that your rose is happy and healthy - I would love to see pics of it blooming!

Jackie

This rose is always going to need tying down and cutting. The tradeoff is a plant loaded with roses. You need to decide if it's going to be worth it for you. Most of us here would be so happy if our roses looked this good and were putting out this much growth. You have to love training the branches to grow a climber like this. It's easier to bend the long shoots down when they are young. Handel is just a big robust plant. If you want something else that is easier to train we can all make suggestions.

Although a taller fence would be better, I think these plants are manageable in their locations. You just need to be more aggressive.

1. Provide yourself with gauntlets, a pruning saw, and powerful loppers if you don't have those.

2. Each year, starting in the 4th year, remove 1/3 or 1/4 of the canes, the oldest ones, at the base. This is best done right after the spring flush, but this week is not too late. If you have upright canes that have become too stiff to bend, take those out. You want to maintain about the number of basals that you have, or fewer.

3. As long basals grow out and become fibrous, capture them promptly and tie them down. You will have to figure out the best timing; it varies from one variety to the next. Often about when terminal flower buds develop is a good time, but with some varieties you need to start sooner. Don't worry about breakage. If a cane breaks, take it out at the base. You have plenty.

4. Remove all the strong laterals after they bloom out. These tend to develop at the top of the arch formed by primary canes and toward the end of primary canes.. Cut short laterals back to two leaves after blooming.

5. If you expect mediocre flushes in midsummer owing to japanese beetles, extreme heat, or the tendency of a variety, you can back off on water and fertilizer in July and August so the plants grow less..

This post was edited by michaelg on Thu, Aug 1, 13 at 14:25

Thanks michaelg for the direct information it was what I was looking for.
2. When I remove the 1/3-1/4 of the canes with oldest first, how do I select the others? 2n'd oldest next? Not sure what you mean.
4. Remove strong laterals-- are these the canes that have grown off the big canes?
Sorry for the questions but this is my first time dealing with climbers. I have had roses for 30 years but no climbers.

If you have 12 canes, remove 3 or 4, choosing either the ones that look the oldest (have the coarsest bark) or ones that are too upright and unbendable. The plant will probably replace these this summer with ones that you can tie down when they are grown out but still young. Repeat this every year.

"Strong laterals" are what you said, the secondary canes and substantial stems, not the short bloom spurs. Let them bloom, then cut them out completely.

Let us know if this routine gives satisfactory control. I can't promise. You may need a taller structure.

Thanks M will get right on it.
Will post a photo @ completion

Well I started a little yesterday late afternoon when it got down to 90. This morning after reading Michaelg's info I started to work. I just finished I think, not sure. I tried my best don't know if I did a good job or not. Let me know if I need to do more.
Picture 1 side yard rose

front yard rose

Looks great to me.

Sorry one more question
Should I wait till winter when the rose looses all of its leaf to take out the 2" dia. old canes?
I will need to take out sections at a time to get them out without messing up the younger canes
Thanks from Arizona

Wait if you want to. It is easier to do heavy pruning when the leaves are gone. On the other hand, climbers are usually pruned after the first flush so they are biggest during the first flush, when the heaviest bloom will occur. New canes that grow out during the summer will bloom a lot during the following spring, but new canes that grow out during the spring after winter pruning will bloom only at the tips in June.

If it looks that good in Arizona, I'd be happy. It's really a small plant (pre-pruning) as climbing roses go.

You did a nice job on the trim. If you don't want quite so much growth, cut back on the water just a little bit.

Thanks for the encouragement hoovb I know that your yard is beautiful. Wish I could have as many beautiful roses as you do. When I lived in Vista CA is was never a struggle w/the roses but here it is pretty bad. Dry, hot then freezing in the winter w/ eating bugs the size of a fifty cent piece. But I will prevail!

I think you did a great job with it and you will get so many flowers now.