October is the month to cut back many plants but one really needs done to ensure it flowers next year, says the expertSally McLean Lifestyle Editor, Angela Patrone and Dan Taylor
09:48, 10 Oct 2025
Hard pruning climbing roses is a task for October, says Monty Don(Image: (Image: Getty))
October is a busy month for gardeners as they prepare for the winter months and do everything they can to help plants through to the spring time. Pruning is one job that comes to the forefront this month.
There is one plant that should be hard pruned this month, according to gardening guru Monty Don. He has urged gardeners to tackle the job of trimming climbing roses if they want to make sure they flower beautifully next spring.
The action will also prevent them from harm when colder weather hits in winter time.
Gardeners’ World presenter Monty explained that these plants need consistent pruning or they can end up a tangled mess with very few blooms.
He said: “Prune climbing roses. Climbing roses flower on shoots grown the same spring so they can be pruned hard now.”
If it feels like an intimidating job, he has some pointers for them. It includes wearing protective gear including gloves and eyewear, reports The Express.
He said gardeners start by removing branches which are damaged or crossing over others. They should also eliminate old wood which Monty said can be ‘pruned right back’ to ground level.
The trick, he says, is to position the main stems horizontally and uniformly, fastening them to wires or trellis. Then, he directs gardeners to cut this season’s flowering side shoots down to just a few leaves.
Monty finished with an essential recommendation: “The effect should be a tracery of largely horizontal growth with pruned side shoots running along their length. Finally, make sure it is all tied firmly in to avoid winter damage.”
Pruning, the craft of trimming and shaping plants by removing selected portions such as branches and buds, is not merely about maintaining an immaculate garden landscape. It also encourages fresh growth and delivers more practical advantages.
Rambling roses should only be pruned immediately after flowering(Image: Getty)
Beyond sculpting foliage for visual appeal, pruning deters troublesome pests and encourages the natural form and vigorous health of your plant life.
Importantly, before cutting away, gardeners should understand their roses – climbers might require attention now, but ramblers can wait.
Monty advised: “Rambling roses on the other hand produce their flowers on shoots grown the previous summer so should only be pruned immediately after flowering.”
Experts at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) have a useful tip to prevent confusion – they say identifying rambling roses is all in the timing of the blooms.
The specialists explained: “Climbing rose will repeat-flower almost all summer and well into autumn, while a rambling rose usually flowers only once, normally around June.”
Monty has also offered his advice on how to tackle dreaded Rose Black Spot, a common fungal disease in autumn.
He said: “A lot of plants get black spot, but it doesn’t affect the flowering and doesn’t affect the health of the plant. It’s just unsightly and that, personally, I can tolerate.”
He said however there is a time when it should be dealt with and explained how.
He added: “If it’s defoliating completely, if a plant is suffering and looking bad, and other roses near it are not suffering from it, then that’s because the plant is particularly prone to it, so just get rid of it.”
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