| The very first thing you have to know is that | | | | After you have bent these structural canes and |
| climbing roses don not climb like regular vines do. | | | | tied them to the structure of your choice, new |
| They do not twist close to or attach to whatever | | | | growth will then sprout all along the structural |
| they come in contact with like ivy or grape vines | | | | length.These are the flowering shoots, or |
| do. Instead, they put out lengthy, longer, and | | | | occasionally referred to as laterals, that will then |
| longer, vigorous, arching canes. Should you just | | | | flower. Throughout dormancy, it is recommended |
| leave them alone, they form a massive, sprawling | | | | that you cut back these shoots to about 2 to 3 |
| shrub. Consequently, to actually get them to climb, | | | | buds above the structural canes. Occasionally, one |
| you have to help them along by tying them up to | | | | of these structural canes might get too old and |
| some type of structure. The green plastic tape | | | | woody and not bloom so it is best just to get rid |
| sold in any nursery is a good choice of material to | | | | of it. You will be able to easily replace them with |
| use to tie them with. A good structure to tie | | | | the new cane that arise each year from the base |
| them to might be a fence, arbor, or trellis. | | | | of the plant. When you need these new canes, |
| The more typical kind of climbers are the climbing | | | | merely let them grow rather than pruning them |
| offshoots, or sports, of hybrid tea roses and | | | | as you have been doing the first 2 or 3 growing |
| large-flowered climbers, which bloom repeatedly | | | | years. The rules change a bit with climbing roses |
| throughout the growing season. Following planting, | | | | that bloom only once in spring. Wait until after |
| it is best to just leave these climbers alone for 2 | | | | they bloom to prune, then get rid of more of the |
| to 3 years to ensure that they can develop | | | | older structural canes and replace them with the |
| lengthy, sturdy canes. Just keep them in bounds | | | | new ones. These new canes produce most of the |
| and get rid of any dead or damaged growth. Tie | | | | next season's blooms. |
| them up to keep them out of the way. | | | | Remember to clean up properly following any |
| The fun begins after completion of the second or | | | | pruning you do. It is really essential to discard or |
| third year of waiting. Think of your climbing rose | | | | destroy the pruned plant debris. Numerous insects |
| as having two parts: the flowering shoots and the | | | | and diseases live on dormant leaves and branches. |
| main structural canes on which they grow. Your | | | | So even though you get rid of dormant leaves |
| goal in pruning would be to select the sturdiest | | | | and branches from the plant, pests can find their |
| canes and tie them up in some evenly spaced | | | | way back into the bush should you leave the plant |
| manner, ideally in an angled or nearly horizontal | | | | debris hanging around. |
| fashion, what ever your preference is. The | | | | Begin by removing any leaves left on the rose |
| pattern doesn't need to be fancy. The number of | | | | plant throughout dormancy. Then rake up all the |
| canes you select depends on the size and the age | | | | plant debris and either discard or burn it. You can |
| of the plant. As the rose gets older, you can then | | | | also run the plant debris through a shredder and |
| select more canes to fill up, say, a good sized | | | | add the debris to a compost pile, but you still risk |
| fence or a large trellis. These main canes form | | | | harboring some pest organisms. As a precaution, |
| the fundamental structure from the plant. Other | | | | maintain the compost pile far away from your |
| canes should be removed. | | | | roses. |