Climbing roses: location, care & robust varieties

Climbing roses are very impressive in terms of their height and abundance of flowers. Here you can find out what needs to be considered for cultivation and maintenance in your own garden.

Climbing roses not only offer an unbelievable variety of colors and shapes of flowers and leaves, with them even the smallest garden can be turned into a personal relaxation paradise. Because the plants want to grow above all upwards. But with that Rose arch or the house facade becomes a blossom-rich symbol of pure Romanesque, nature has to be helped a little. Correct shaping, cutting and care is rewarded with an abundance of flowers and a dense growth.

Plant climbing roses

With the right care, climbing roses can live for several years and can reach heights of up to 6 meters. Therefore, a little more time should be invested in planning and looking for a suitable location. Not only because the careful choice of a location will allow your plant to thrive in the first place. Rather, it prevents you from having to go back to the line of business within a short period of time to deal with the one that has become too big rose (pink) to a new location. This means not only stress for the plant, but also for you.

Location for climbing roses

Those who grow meters into the sky like a lot of light and fresh air. When choosing a location for your climbing roses, you should therefore make sure that there is enough space above. Because an airy place ensures that there is no accumulated heat and that wet parts of the plant dry off. This means that you will have fewer problems with pests and fungi later on. But not only fresh air is desired - the noble plants like extensive sunbathing at least as much. Only a few varieties tolerate partially shaded locations. But full sun is too much of a good thing. It is best to keep a nice southeast or southwest spot in the garden for your climbing roses. But climbing roses not only grow up, but also deep into the earth. A loose soil is therefore essential for climbing roses. The long roots grow very deep, so the soil must be accordingly permeable. Make sure that there is no compaction in the soil at least a meter deep.

Otherwise the following applies to the soil of climbing roses:

• Nutrient-rich
• Sandy-loamy
• Humos
• In-depth (min. 50 cm)
• Moderate to difficult
• No waterlogging
• Neutral pH

If these conditions are met, climbing roses can be used in a wide variety of ways. Whether with practical added value as a privacy screen or simply as a visual highlight in the garden. Fragrant varieties on house facades, pavilions or old tree trunks are particularly suitable for designing your very own favorite place.

Note: From high crowns, drops of water not only fall far, but also quickly. Therefore, do not plant your roses under large trees, otherwise you will quickly find the flowers smashed.

Climbing roses in a pot: is that possible?

Climbing roses can also grow towards the sun in pots. However, only small varieties are suitable for this and even these like it airy below. The pot should therefore be at least 50 cm deep and as wide as possible. There are also a few things to consider when taking care of the pot:

• Place the root ball in water 24 hours before planting
• Soil: rose earth mixed with compost or slow release fertilizer
• Fertilizing: April - July every 14 days with liquid fertilizer in the irrigation water
• Watering: no waterlogging; good drainage layer at the bottom of the pot
• Repotting: Every 2 - 3 years in a larger pot

Climbing roses: the right planting time

It depends on the condition in which the plants were purchased. Bare-rooted roses come into the ground either in autumn or in spring. Potted roses can also be planted in summer. In addition, the root ball of the so-called container roses is better developed, you can often see the first flowers and the planting distances can be better estimated. The distances are not only determined by the natural growth of the plant, but also by the shape you want later. Here, 30 to 50 cm to the climbing aid or 8 cm to the wall must be observed. Depending on the variety, a distance of one and a half to two meters should be maintained between the plants.

Otherwise, note the following when planting climbing roses:

• The root ball is placed in water 24 hours before planting
• Loosen the soil to a depth of 50 - 100 cm
• Planting hole: 30 - 40 cm deep
• When planting, the refinement point ends up about 5 cm below the ground
• Water well

Transplant climbing roses

Climbing roses are not a short-term purchase. With proper care, they can grow and thrive for years. It can happen that the surrounding greenery will at some point dispute the light and space for the plants. Then it will be time for the high-flyers to move. The best time to do this is on a mild, frost-free day in autumn after the plant has shed its leaves. It is also possible to transplant in spring, when the plant has not yet sprouted. However, the plants do not grow as quickly as in autumn.

Once you have found a new place for the climbing rose, simply proceed as follows:

• Prepare the planting hole at the new location
• Strong pruning of the climbing rose to be transplanted
• Dig with a spade (min. 2 lengths of spade blade deep) around the rhizome
• Carefully pry out the plant
• bruised and injured roots are removed
• Water the plantings well at the new location
• Piling up of soil at the base of the plant (protection from drying out)

A strong pruning is the pruning of the plant to a few sleeping eyes. The trench around the climbing rose to be transplanted should be dug as deep as possible because of the deep roots of the roses. The more generously you dig, the less damage you will do to the rhizome.

Note: If you want to plant a new rose in the place of a discarded rose, the earth has to be replaced over a large area (rose fatigue!).

Fasten climbing roses correctly and safely

Regardless of which climbing rose you choose, a climbing aid is always a must. So that this also fulfills its purpose, you have to pay special attention to its attachment. If the construction is well armed against wind, rain and the weight load, the greening can be tackled. The shoots are attached differently depending on the type of climbing aid. The shoots are placed in a spiral around the trellis on climbing pillars. On trellises, the long shoots are tightened in a fan shape or crosswise. Then the shoots are loosely attached with bast, plant clips or rubber-coated wire.

What kind of climbing aid is used is up to you and your creativity. Classic trellises made of metal or wood can be found in every hardware store with a garden center. Even more unusual models are available here or on the Internet. If you want to save money or design your garden individually, you can put your handicraft skills to the test. Just make sure that the materials you use are weatherproof. Not that the self-made climbing aid dies before the roses.

Climbing rose varieties: choice and variety

There are two types of climbing roses. On the one hand the actual climbing roses (also called climber) and on the other hand the climbing or rambler roses. They differ not only in their height but also in their flowering rhythm. In addition, the different varieties offer a huge selection of flower colors and shapes.

Climbing roses: suitable species 

Which type of climbing rose you choose depends on what you later expect from the flowering climbers. The actual climbing roses offer:

• Multiple blooms
• Height: 1.5 - 3 meters
• Thick, upright shoots
• Flowers solitary or in clusters
• More compact growth
• Bigger flowers

If you want to go higher, choose rambler roses. These are characterized by:

• Blooming once
• Height: 6-10 meters
• Good growth
• Medium-strong and elastic shoots
• Lots of small flowers

Thanks to intensive breeding, there are now also rambler rose varieties that bloom several times a year. On the other hand, the number of flowers is not quite as impressive.

Climbing roses: the most beautiful varieties

Depending on the variety, climbing roses bloom in white, salmon colors, orange and shades of pink or red. They also differ in the shape of their flowers. There are simple to very double flowers. When the flowers appear also differs from variety to variety. Here are a few particularly beautiful, often-blooming climbing rose varieties for you:

• Compassion: Double flowers in light salmon pink; strongly fragrant; Height: up to 2.5 meters; Flowering period: June - November; hardy; ADR rose
• Florentina: Double flower in intense red; light fragrance; Height: up to 3 meters; Flowering period: June - September; hardy
• Moonlight: Semi-double flower in lemon yellow; strong fruity fragrance; Height: up to 2.5 meters; Flowering period: June - September; hardy
• Elf: Double flower in creamy yellow with a green tinge; delicate fragrance; Height: up to 3 meters; Flowering period: June - September; conditionally hardy; ideal for sunny locations
• Aloha: Very double flower in apricot; strong fragrance; Height: up to 2.5 meters; Flowering period: June-October; conditionally hardy

A wider range of Climbing rose varieties the most varied of flower colors and shapes can be found here.

Note: When buying, look out for ADR roses. These are particularly resistant and tested.

Maintain climbing roses

The rose is also considered the queen of flowers. The older climbing roses get, the more beautiful and profuse they bloom. But so that your plants shine in majestic splendor year after year, the care must be right. Please note the following:

• Watering: Frequently during the growing season, then only after longer periods of dryness
• Clean up withered flowers
• Removing sick and broken parts of plants

We only pour from below to minimize the risk of fungal infections on the leaves. In addition, it is not poured in the blazing midday sun. After heavy watering or rain, the soil around the roots is loosened. This prevents the soil from compacting and the roots get enough air again.

Fertilize climbing roses

A queen must also be entertained royally. Like Marie-Antoinette, climbing roses should only be the finest and in good quantities. That is why there are special rose fertilizers such as ours in stores Plantura organic rose fertilizeradapted to the majestic nutrient consumption. It is also possible to use a different fertilizer. Cattle manure, for example, would be an inexpensive alternative. Just make sure that an organic fertilizer variant ends up in the shopping cart. This has a longer depot effect in the soil and is even more environmentally friendly than the mineral alternatives.

Climbing roses are fertilized twice a year:

• early April
• End of June after flowering

The fertilizer is carefully worked into the loosened soil around the roots. There is no fertilization in April for freshly planted roses. They are fertilized the first time after the first flowering.

Hibernate climbing roses

In autumn, the climbing roses are made fit for winter. With winter-hardy varieties such as 'Golden Gate', a slight protection against dehydration and frost is sufficient. In doing so, soil is piled up at the base of the plant. Conditionally hardy varieties like 'Rosanna' need a little more care. For extra protection from sun and wind, wrap the more sensitive plants with a 2 meter high wicker mat. If there are still shoots over the cover, they are covered with burlap.

Cutting climbing roses: timing and procedure

By pruning your plants, you encourage the formation of new flowers and beautiful branching growth. For this purpose, newly formed side shoots are cut back to a length of 2 to 5 eyes once a year. The cut is made at an angle of about 5 mm above an outwardly growing bud. The timing for pruning depends on whether you have decided on a single-flowered or multiple-flowered variety.

• Spring: Climbing roses blooming more often
• Autumn: climbing roses blooming once (after blooming)

For plants that bloom once, only shoots that have previously bloomed are removed. The rule here is: less is more. In the case of varieties that bloom more often, pruning may only be carried out when there is no longer any risk of frost. In addition, 1 - 2 main shoots are removed per year. Remaining new shoots are pulled along the climbing aid and attached. Regardless of the variety, you should regularly clean out withered flowers and remove diseased or, for example, parts of the plant damaged by the winter. Shoots of the wild rose underlay are removed, otherwise they will overgrow your beautiful hybrid tea rose.

Find out more about the right one here Care of climbing roses.