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Learn how to prune and train climbing roses

Free workshop offers hands-on training for roses growing on arbors, trellises, fences or walls

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED JAN 2, 2026

These gorgeous pink climbing roses are among several that grace the garden of Linda Knowles, a master rosarian. Learn how to bring out the best in climbers during a free workshop Jan. 17. Debbie Arrington

Climbing roses rank among the most perplexing plants to prune. The cuts you make can determine how (and where) the bush blooms for seasons to come.

It’s not just the pruning, but what to do with those long canes – how do you get them to bloom where you want their flowers?

Learn how to prune and train climbing roses during a special hands-on workshop Saturday, Jan. 17. Offered by the Sierra Foothills Rose Society, this free workshop is open to the public and will be held in one of the most stunning private rose gardens in Roseville.

In her garden, award-winning master rosarian Linda Knowles grows hundreds of roses including dozens of climbers. Several of those climbers grace a French-inspired allee – a walkway shaded by arches covered with roses and clematis. Her garden has been featured in national publications such as Garden Gate magazine.

Roses on arches — Linda Knowles' rose garden will be the site of the
free workshop.

“Climbers are spectacular!” says the host. “They add a charming and dramatic element to your garden. Vigorous and relatively easy to grow, climbing roses sprawl on a fence, ascend a trellis, drape over an arbor, or scramble up a tree when trained. Flowers emerge on the end of the plant's long canes in single flowers or a cluster of blooms. However, with pruning you can get more flowers all along the cane.”

The workshop starts at 10 a.m. with some training, then tackles the bushes, wrapping up about 2 p.m. after a break for lunch. Dress appropriately for the weather; this event is all outdoors. Wear gloves and long sleeves. Bring pruners or lopers.

“We will have teaching demonstrations, then practice pruning climbing roses on fences, arbors and trellises,” says Paula Agostini, society president. “Water, hot coffee and homemade soup will be available.”

Although reservations are not needed, please RSVP to Paula in advance at hapisle@sbcglobal.net.

The workshop will be held at 1032 Chippendale Way, Roseville. Use the side gate.

More details: http://sierrafoothillsrosesociety.org/

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Keywords:

roses workshop climbing roses winter dormancy arbor trellis January Sierra Foothills Rose Society pruning rose care free event weekend event Sacramento gardening

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Garden checklist for week of May 17

With an eye on warmer weather to come, continue to work on the summer vegetable garden:

* Remember to irrigate your tender transplants. The wind can quickly dry out young plants. Seedlings need consistent moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants. Water early in the morning for best results.

* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. Time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.

* Harvest lettuce, peas and green onions.

* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters. (You also can transplant seedlings for many of the same flowers.)

* Plant dahlia tubers.

* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, calibrachoa, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, rudbeckia and verbena.

* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.

* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.

* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.

* Put your veggie garden on a regular diet. Set up a monthly feeding program, and keep track on your calendar. Make sure to water your garden before applying any fertilizer to prevent “burning” your plants.

* As spring-flowering shrubs finish blooming, give them a little pruning to shape them, removing old and dead wood. Lightly trim azaleas, fuchsias and marguerites for bushier plants.

* Don’t forget to weed! Those invaders are growing fast.

Send us a gardening question, a post suggestion or information about an upcoming event. sacdigsgardening@gmail.com

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