Climbing Roses: Care of Your Climbers

No rose garden is truly complete without climbing roses. Care of these free-flowing beauties is in some ways easier than care of shrub roses, but there a few things that are a little different. When you know how to prune climbers and how to protect them in winter, you’ll have healthy, bloom-laden branches all summer.
Just the Right SoilLike most roses, climbing roses prefer light, rich soil that’s slightly acidic (pH 6.5 or so). Good drainage is also important. If your soil isn’t naturally rich, adding manure and chopped sod can improve soil conditions. It’s also important to keep the soil moist. This is easy to do by layering several inches of organic mulch (straw, grass clippings, or wood chips) on the ground around the base of the rose.
Careful PruningSince climbing roses are expected to grow to significant heights, you’ll only need to think about pruning them in the third year after planting. When it comes to pruning needs, climbing roses fall into three categories: hardy, tender and somewhere in between. The hardy climbers, which grow vigorously and flower abundantly, usually need to be pruned yearly to keep them from getting too dense and heavy. With the tender climbers, you’ll only need to give them a gentle pruning once every two or three years.
Winter protectionBecause of their size and sprawling growth pattern, climbing roses can be a challenge to protect over the winter. The good news is that if you live in a mild climate such as the southern U.S. or Mediterranean-like parts of Australia, you probably won’t need to cover your roses at all. In cooler climates, you’ll at least want to tie the canes up and mound soil around them for insulation. If you’re expecting temperatures below freezing, though, you’ll need to cover the roses. Pillars, trellises, and pergolas should be wrapped with hay or other organic material.
If you have climbing roses, care of these rambling flowers is something you’ll probably find simple and trouble free. All you really need to do is protect them from frost, insects and disease, make sure they have good rich soil to grow in, and prune them when they start getting out of hand.   http://www.rosegardening101.com/archives/climbing-roses-care/