The easiest way to distinguish between a climbing rose and a rambling rose is their flowering habit.
A climbing rose will repeat-flower almost all summer whereas a rambling rose will only flower once.
Climbing roses are not self-clinging so they need tying to trellising or horizontal wires set at 300mm (12") centres and secured to vertical posts if free standing.
Alternatively; Use eye bolts and horizontal wires fixed to a wall or building.
As with all types of roses, pruning ensures that plants grow and flower well each year, climbing roses are no different.
Failure to prune climbers can result in a tangled mess of branches with very few flowers.
Climbing rose subject to their age may need different forms of pruning namely;
- Formative; Initial tying into the support
- Routine; As the name suggests annual pruning.
- Renovation; Treatment for a plant that has been allowed to grow out of hand.
Formative training and pruning of young climbing roses;
If using a trellis support system; gently twist each of the main stems around the vertical laths.
With a wire support; slant the main stems in a fan shape tying them in where they make contact with a wire support.
If there are only a few stems on the plant, tip-prune them to the first strong bud to encourage side shoots,
Routine pruning;
Prune in late autumn after the flowers have faded or leave until after leaf fall.
Pruning when not in leaf makes it easier to see what needs pruning, moving, tying in etc.
Firstly remove any dead or diseased shoots.
Prune any flowered shoots back to twi thirds of their length.
Finally tie in shoots as necessary onto support frame
Renovation;
Prune in late autumn after the flowers have faded or leave until after leaf fall.
Pruning when not in leaf makes it easier to see what needs pruning, moving, tying in etc.
Remove all dead, diseased, dying and weak shoots.
Cut out all but five or six old woody branches to the ground.
Tie the remaining branches into the framework.
Do not leave dead stumps at the base of the plant, rain can collect here and encourage rot.
Shorten side shoots by one third to a half, to encourage branching.
On completion clear away all debris.
In spring as the plant sets forth new growth, fork in a general rose fetiliser and spread a 50mm (2") organic mulch around the base of the plant.