Question
lady banks rose
We have a lady banks next to our condo that the 'landscape' company prunes. What they do is take a mini chainsaw to it until all that is left is ugly looking sticks as you can tell from the photo. Exactly where on the bush and when should I prune so this doesn't look like this again?
AnswerFirst decide what shape and how you want the rambler to grow, If you want it to drape gracefully then leave the main thickest canes as the framework and place them where you will get the look you want. Then I would cut the long growth along the main thickest canes. You see that main cane that is curving over towards the right side of the photo? I would cut that cane coming from the end of it back by a half. Position the main canes and then cut the laterals coming from them back by about a half. I hate to tell you that even though they company looks it they butchered the rose, it will bounce back and look attractive the next season. Pruning with an electric saw if fine, it is how you do it that makes the difference. You can control how or what you prune with a saw as it just keeps cutting anything in it's way. Lady Banks flowers on last years growth so if you want flowers go easy on cutting off th egrowth that grew this year as it will have the flower buds set on it for next spring.
