Climbing roses can make a big impact in the garden. These aggressive growers will make sunny, vertical structures more interesting, and they can grow many feet in a season even in poor soil. Climbers can cover any fence or wall in flowers, but only if you train and cut them back the right way. If you don’t watch out, roses can quickly take over your garden with thorny, messy growth that’s hard to manage. However, with the proper initial training and regular maintenance pruning, climbing roses can be a glorious garden backdrop.
Climbing roses can transform a plain wooden fence into a stunning vertical garden When properly trained and pruned, they will cover the fence with beautiful blooms and attractive foliage. Follow this guide to successfully grow climbing roses on a wooden fence.
Choosing the Right Climbing Roses
With hundreds of climbing rose varieties to pick from, it can be tough to narrow down your options. Here are some top considerations:
-
Flower color – Climbers come in almost every hue, from pure white to deep crimson Pick your favorite colors
-
Fragrance – Many old garden roses and David Austin’s English climbers are exceptionally fragrant Choose perfumed varieties near doors or windows
-
Growth rate – Fast growing climbers like ‘New Dawn’ quickly cover fences. Slow growers like ‘Don Juan’ take more time fill in but are easier to manage.
-
Ultimate height – Make sure the rose won’t outgrow your fence. Most wood fences are 4-6 feet tall. Choose climbers that max out under 10 feet.
-
Hardiness – Check the climbing rose’s cold hardiness zone rating and make sure it matches your region.
Once you’ve selected the perfect varieties, it’s time to prepare the fence and plant the roses.
Setting Up the Fence for Climbing Roses
For best results, set up your wooden fence to support climbing roses before planting:
-
Use rot-resistant wood like cedar or redwood so the fence lasts many years. Avoid cheap pine.
-
Make sure fence posts are deeply anchored. Climbing roses get heavy when mature.
-
Space posts 6-8 feet apart for stability.
-
Construct the fence at least 5-6 feet tall to accommodate the roses’ growth.
-
Add stabilizing horizontal supports every 2 feet up the fence. This will provide attachment points for the roses.
-
Consider framing decorative openings in the fence for the roses to tumble through. An archway is ideal.
With a well-built wooden fence ready, it’s time to plant your roses.
How to Plant Climbing Roses on a Fence
Follow basic planting guidelines when installing climbing roses along a fence:
-
Dig holes 2 feet away from the fence, aligned with the horizontal supports.
-
Make holes at least 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep.
-
Amend the soil removed from holes with compost or manure to improve drainage.
-
Place bare root or potted roses in the holes and backfill, mounding extra soil to form berms.
-
Water thoroughly after planting. Apply mulch around plants to retain moisture.
-
Stake each young rose plant to provide support while they establish.
Now let your climbing roses grow for their first 2 years before beginning formal training and pruning.
When to Start Training Climbing Roses on a Fence
Climbing roses are ready for training once they’ve matured a bit, usually by their second or third season of growth. Don’t rush the process. It’s best to let them establish a strong root system and put on substantial growth before introducing any constraints.
Signs that a rose is ready for training:
-
The plant has recovered well from transplant shock with no dead stems.
-
It quickly sends up long, flexible canes each year.
-
Canes are at least 1/4 inch thick, preferably 1/2 inch.
When your climbing roses are vigorous and healthy, you can begin training them onto the fence in spring.
How to Train Climbing Roses Step-By-Step
The key to success with climbing roses is properly training the long, flexible canes onto supports. Follow these steps:
Select the Main Canes
Choose 3-5 of the biggest, healthiest canes emerging from each plant to be the main structural canes. These will form the backbone of the rose on your fence.
Secure Canes to the Fence
Bend each of the main canes horizontally to the fence. Use soft ties to gently fasten onto supports, without crushing stems.
Space Main Canes Evenly
Organize the main canes so they are distributed evenly across the width of the fence. This gives the entire plant a uniform shape.
Attach Secondary Canes
Take smaller secondary canes and tie onto supports to fill in areas between the main canes. Weave and criss-cross for a pleasing effect.
Trim Excess Growth
Once everything is tied on, trim off any canes or stems that overhang the fence. Also remove diseased or damaged wood.
Proper training is key to managing the growth of climbing roses on fences. But continued pruning is also required.
How to Prune Climbing Roses on Fences
Pruning climbing roses serves several purposes:
-
Removes old, unproductive wood
-
Thins congested areas to open up the plant
-
Cuts back gangly growth
-
Encourages an abundant flush of new blooms
Follow these tips when pruning climbing roses annually:
-
Prune in late winter or very early spring before buds open.
-
Cut out any dead, damaged, or disease-prone stems at their point of origin.
-
Shorten side shoots that bloomed last year by 1/3 to 1/2 their length to stimulate new growth.
-
If needed, prune back the main canes by 1/3 their height.
-
Remove suckers emerging far from the main plant.
-
Shape and refine the plant’s overall form.
With proper annual pruning and training, your climbing roses will thrive on fences for many years of beauty. Enjoy their gracious blooms and lovely fragrance right outside your windows.
Frequency of Entities:
rose – 27
climbing – 15
fence – 18
canes – 10
prune – 6
wood – 3
plant – 5
grow – 3
What Is a Climbing Rose?
As the name suggests, climbing roses are types of roses with canes that are too long and bendy to stand on their own without help. In reality, this group comprises two different types of roses, known as climbing roses and rambling roses. Roses that grow 6 to 12 feet long and have pretty big flowers, either alone or in groups, are called climbing roses. The canes on climbing roses are fairly stiff and well suited for attaching to trellises or fences.
Rambling roses are more unruly plants, growing as much 20 feet tall—considerably larger than climbers. Their canes are very bendy and can grow through bushes and trees. You can also train them to arch over tall gates or cover big walls. The flowers on ramblers are generally smaller, grouped in large sprays.
When to Train and Prune Climbing Roses
A climbing or rambling rose is ready to train in the spring of its second or third year, after it has fully recovered from the shock of being moved. During this time, your rose bush will have put on some decent bulk sufficient for training. During the first few years, you can cut off any canes that don’t look good, but after that, you should let the plant grow long and wild. You will train this long growth in the spring of the plant’s second or third year.
Training My David Austin “Lady Of Shallot” Climbing Rose Along My Fence! Zone 5B.
FAQ
Will climbing roses grow along a fence?
Do climbing roses bloom on old wood?
What do climbing roses climb best on?
Can you plant climbing roses on a fence?
There are some things you should consider if you want to plant climbing roses on a fence. First, consider the climate in your area. Roses prefer warm weather, so if you live in a cooler climate, you’ll need to choose a variety that is tolerant of cold weather. Second, think about the amount of sun your fence gets.
How do you train roses on a fence?
Training roses on a fence is easy and beautiful. For tall chain link fences, attach a climbing rose to the fence to help hide the fence and add beauty to it. Plant the climbing rose bushes up close to the fence to grow up the fence easily and use it for support.
How do you plant climbing rose bushes on a fence?
Plant the climbing rose bushes up close to the fence to grow up the fence easily and use it for support. Space the climbing rose bushes out at 6- to 7-foot (2 m.) intervals along the fence, as this gives them room to grow and spread out their long canes. The long canes can be supported and trained by tying them off to the chain link fence.
Are climbing roses rambling roses?
In reality, this group comprises two different types of roses, known as climbing roses and rambling roses. Climbing roses include those types that grow 6 to 12 feet long with relatively large single or clustered flowers. The canes on climbing roses are fairly stiff and well suited for attaching to trellises or fences.