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/

Climbing Roses: For Drama and Beauty

Colorful climbing roses can add a dramatic effect to your home. They’re nice because you can wind them around a trellis, a column, or even let them climb up the side of your home. It’s interesting to note, however, that many seasoned gardeners fear climbing roses. This is likely because of the belief that climbing roses can get damaged by cold weather and also because they can take years to reach full maturity. Despite these facts, there is a wide selection of climbing roses that can sustain harsh weather.
The best time to plant any type of climbing rose is early spring. Follow this advice and your roses will have about six or seven months to become established before the cold sets in.

Types of Climbing Roses

Before choosing climbing roses for your home, you should first get acquainted with the three distinct categories of climbing roses: ramblers, trailing roses, and true climbers.
Ramblers: The most intrusive climbing roses are the ramblers. These exuberant roses can grow up to twenty feet in one season. Although most of the roses from ramblers are quite small, many of the newer varieties produce large roses. Unfortunately, ramblers have a tendency to be susceptible to mildew.
Trailing Roses: If you’re looking for a climbing rose that is tougher and less prone to mildew and disease, your home might need the touch of trailing roses. These climbers look great planted along walls. It’s suggested that you stake them because otherwise, the long canes will grow along the ground instead of upright. Trailing roses typically bloom approximately two to three inches in diameter. Two of the more popular trailing roses are the cultivars and Rosa Wichurana.
Climbers: If you enjoy climbing roses with large flowers, true climbers may be what you’re looking for. These types of roses produce flowers in large clusters. There are two categories of true climbers: bush climbers, and climbing hybrid teas. Bush climbers will continue to bloom throughout the season, while climbing hybrid teas may only last for a few weeks out of the season. The bush climber has more resistance to mildew and disease than the climbing hybrid teas.

Planting Climbing Roses

Planting your roses is an easy task.

• The first thing you’ll need to do is choose an area to dig a hole.
  Your hole should be approximately one foot from your trellis or arch.
• Once you’ve dug a hole, you’ll also need organic matter. Well-rotted manure or compost should be added to the soil.
• Next, carefully remove the rose from its container. If you come across tangled outer roots, gently untangle them with your fingers.
• Place your plant in the hole and fill it in with any extra soil. Water it thoroughly once you’ve planted it.

You should water your climbing roses at least once a week. The soil should be saturated.
Once your rose’s canes have grown long enough to reach the trellis or arch, tie the canes to the structure. Unlike a vine, which is equipped with tendrils, climbing roses have to be attached to a structure. You can tie them with a soft cloth or string. The idea is to give the canes enough room for growth and expansion. Be sure not to tie them too tightly.
Choose the right roses for your home and watch them climb for years to come!    http://www.rosegardening101.com/archives/climbing-roses2/

Climbing Roses Add Charm to Any Garden

Nothing brings to mind rustic romance and charm quite so strongly as a rose-covered cottage or gazebo. Climbing roses lend a touch of Old World beauty to nearly any landscape with their thick, glossy leaves and abundant blooms in all shades of the rosy rainbow.

Climbers are easy to train

There’s a mistaken belief that it’s difficult to train roses to climb. The truth is, you’ll spend far more time discouraging the persistent vines from growing into places you don’t want them to go than you will trying to get them to climb up the side of the house. Many climbing roses are persistent growers, so you’ll want to pick and choose just the right rose for your own dream garden.
Climbing roses can be trained to climb on nearly any surface, but it’s important to choose a climber that won’t overwhelm and destroy its climbing frame. As delicate and airy as they look, within ten years a few two foot rose bushes can grow to weigh nearly 1000 pounds. It goes without saying that choosing a support that is strong and well-anchored is vital. Experts recommend using cement anchors and hooks to train climbing rose vines along the wall, and keep them from growing wild.
If you’re still thinking of roses as delicate flowers, here’s what another expert has to say about training roses to grow along posts and fences. According to Mike Allan, a horticulturalist who specializes in rose climbers, climbing roses love to be twisted and woven around posts, trellises and other supports. The more you twist them, the more blooms you’ll get.
Among the most popular climbing rose varieties are the pale pink New Dawn, the apricot Westerland, and the white Moonlight Rose. The Cecile Brunner is often used as a tree climber, where its profuse, small white blossoms gleam against – and often cover, the foliage.
Quick Stats:
Height: Can grow over 20 feet
Width: 48″ and up
Blooms: Vary by variety
Pros: Grow quickly – 3-8 feet in the first year, require little care other than pruning, most are winter hardy
Cons: Can quickly get out of control if allowed to grow unchecked.    http://www.rosegardening101.com/archives/climbing-roses-add-charm-to-any-garden/