If you want to add a bit of height to your garden, you might want to look at climbing roses. There is a vast array of climbing roses available in the market, so there’s definitely no shortage of options available to you.
There are different kinds of climbing roses that are available in almost all popular categories of the rose plant. The bourbons, the English roses, and even the hybrid ones are available in climbing varieties.
However, you should know that while most climbing roses usually provide lots of flowers, it’s important that you care for them properly. Growing any variant of the rose is difficult, and you need to be particularly careful that you do it right.
If you are going to grow climbing roses, there are many important things that you should keep in mind. There are several techniques that you can use to increase the pace at which your roses grow, so let’s focus on those first.
Where Should You Plant Them?
The climbing roses need to be planted in moist soil. However, the soil should not be compacted – it should be properly drained and it also needs to be quite fertile.
Most variants of the climbing roses do quite well in the full sun. There are a few that are also able to tolerate shade as well. It is best if you seek advice from a reputable nursery that specializes in growing roses if you are looking to add climbing roses for some shade in your house.
Planting the Roses
You can easily purchase climbing roses that are grown in containers at any time during the year. On the other hand, there are bare-root climbing roses available as well, though you can only purchase them during the winter and the autumn months.
That is in fact the primary method used by nurseries for shipping mail-order roses to their clients. If you are going to plant the climbing roses in your garden, it is best if you choose a dry and frost-free day.
You will have to dig a hole in the ground that is roughly twice in terms of the depth and the width of the ball of roots at the bottom. Then, you will have to supplement the planting by adding some organic matter in the mix as well.
Before you plant it, it’s best if you tease the roots a little so that they are not tightly compacted. Then, simply drop the plant in the hole and you are done. You will have to fill in the hole again, and then shore up the region with your foot.
You can also use supports such as a pergola or a wire frame to train the climbing rose to grow on a specific area. This is going to ensure that the stems follow a set path when they are growing.
How to Care for the Rose
One of the best things that you can do to quicken the growth of the climbing rose is to deadhead the plant. Deadheading is the practice of removing dying flowers from your climbing rose.
Like most plants, the climbing rose also expends a considerable amount of energy each season in maintaining dying leaves and flowers. When you remove them before they have completely died, it frees up the energy and resources available to the plant.
They are able to produce more flowers that are vibrant and beautiful. You might get a second flush of flowers as well, and this is actually quite common among the climbing rose plant.
You will have to learn how to train the new stems on a regular basis. Furthermore, feeding the plant is also important if you want it to grow quickly.
But, you can’t just choose a random time during the year. Instead, always apply a balanced fertilizer to the plant when the spring season begins.
You should also remove all the fallen leaves from the base of the plant so that the chances of fungal infections (more common than you think!) are reduced to zero. Infections such as blackspots and rust are actually prevalent during this period, so it’s best to get rid of the fallen leaves.
In the autumn season, you should mulch the soil properly. While there are plenty of organic materials that you can use for mulching, it is best if you stick with rotted manure or compost. Even leaf mold is a great idea.
Pruning the Trees
An essential practice that is going to increase the growth rate of your plants is pruning. During the first few years of planting the climbing rose, you won’t have to worry about pruning.
Your primary focus is going to be on training the new stems to adjust to their new support. But, over the passage of time, your climbing rose will be completely established. Then, it is imperative that you train the new stems in a horizontal manner each autumn.
This is going to improve the flowering by a considerable margin. In the autumn season, once the plant has stopped flowering, you should prune the climbing roses properly.
The primary framework of the stems should be left unpruned, primarily if they are extending beyond their support. The side shoots also need to be pruned from time to time.
When pruning the climbing rose, it is recommended that you cut just slightly higher than the bud that points in a specific direction. This will encourage the growth of a new stem.
Never cut above a bud that is directed toward your garden, as that’s just not a wise idea and will hinder the growth of the plant.
Other Requirements
Most of the rose varieties need full exposure to the sun, and they are also going to need loamy and well-drained soil. They also need at least an inch of water in a week, so it’s easy to say that this is a high-maintenance plant.
Ideally, you should plant the roses so that they are exposed to the eastern side as this will protect the plant from getting burned by the hot afternoon sun.
More importantly, roses with wet feet are going to be exposed to root rot and are also at an increased risk of fungus. Therefore, it is important that you do not overwater the plant.
Proper soil drainage is important if your area has received lots of rainfall in the past season. Maintenance isn’t a big problem, but you will have to set up a routine of sorts.
Air circulation within the roots is important, and if the plant doesn’t get it, there is a pretty strong chance that it is going to choke out and completely die.
Climbing roses can add a splash of color to your house and they are a fantastic addition to any garden. As long as you know how to care for the plant properly and train it to adjust and grow in a specific direction.
There are many instances where people have managed to train their climbing roses to grow on a gorgeous trellis frame along the side of the house. It’s a great way to add some natural aesthetic appeal to your place without spending a lot of money.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.