Yes you can prune now, but how big can it get? breaking 2 trellises is quite impressive ;-) RdV flowers best on last year's canes, so not a bad idea to prune now. However, new canes should form buds on tip of new canes later in the season.

Thanks, Tao. That's exactly what I needed to know. It's over 8 feet tall now and I have even longer canes arched down and tied to the trellis. But it's still growing! So if I cut it back now the new growth will be old wood next year and it will still bloom. Hopefully at a height I can seem them at!

I'm not all that shore about RdV, but some hybrid perpetuals have the tendency to shoot out only looooong canes and no side shoots when pruned hard. It might be an idea to let it keep two or three feet, and bend them down to force them to produce laterals. At least this years growth should be flexible enough. I have discovered that 45 degree angel is often enough to activate the laterals on a cane.

When you get these strong basal shoots, you can cut the tip off when they are about a bout a foot or so, and have at least four set of leaves (buds to shoot from). I have had success with this many times. The only time I was a bit unlucky was when I pruned a new long cane on Charles Lefebvre from 3 feet + to about 1 foot. Even though it was done in July, the cane didn't sprout until next spring. Now I am careful to take only the tip of new strong basals, and early on. This is at least how I do it some times.

Best of luck with the rose

I do have one like that, tao. It came up and went straight up with no other branches on it at all. And it was thick and stiff too. Refused to bend to arch at all. It did bloom at the tip this year but I think I'm going to cut it out anyway. It looks kind of odd with no branches on it. Next time that happens I'll know what to do, thanks!

Do you all think that Tao's technique of cutting back strong, stiff basals might work on other climbers: specifically, Compassion and Polka. Both of these roses are so stiff and awkward in their habits,and flower only at the tips...regards, bart

bart, I am trying to grow Compassion, White Cap and Clair Matin as shrubs by cutting back basals. Here is a recent thread on growing stiff climbers as a shrub- hope this helps you; it helped me!

Here is a link that might be useful: growing climber as shrub

Great thread, harborrose, thanks for the link!