How to Train Climbing Roses to Grow on Brick Walls

June 25, 2024 by Robby

Climbing roses make stunning additions to any outdoor space when grown against walls and structures Their long, flexible canes allow them to be trained to climb vertically, providing beautiful roses at eye level. However, brick and masonry walls can pose some challenges for attaching climbing roses With the right techniques though, you can successfully train climbing roses to flourish on brick.

Choosing the Right Climbing Rose

When selecting a climbing rose for a brick wall, consider:

Growth rate – Faster growing varieties like ‘New Dawn’ will cover more area quicker, Go for a prolific bloomer,
Mature size – Check the mature width and height to ensure the rose will fit the space.

Bloom time – Pick a variety with a long blooming window for maximum color.
Fragrance – Many climbing roses have fabulous fruity aromas when grown near walkways or doors.
Hardiness – Choose a variety suited for your USDA zone. Most tolerate zones 5-9.

Some great climbing roses for brick walls include ‘New Dawn’, ‘Eden’, ‘Joseph’s Coat’, and ‘America’.

Preparing the Growing Area

Before planting your climbing rose, assess the growing area:

Ensure the wall receives at least 6 hours of direct sun daily for best flowering. East or west-facing walls work well.
Check for soil quality and drainage. Roses need nutrient-rich, well-draining soil amended with compost.

Remove any plants, debris or obstructions in the space needed for the mature rose.
Plan where you’ll attach support hooks or anchors for training the canes along the wall.

Setting Up Support for the Canes

Climbing roses produce long, flexible canes that can be gently trained onto hooks, anchors or a trellis against the wall. Here are some options for providing support:

Screw hooks – Use screw hooks anchored into the mortar joints to support canes horizontally along the wall. Space hooks every 12-18 inches.
Eye hooks – For heavier canes, secure eye hooks into mortar joints and tie canes directly onto the hooks.

Trellis – A trellis attached to the wall provides excellent support for climbing canes to weave through.
Wires – Secure galvanized wires horizontally along the bricks with eye hooks. Tie canes loosely to the wires as they grow.

Make sure supports are in place at planting time. Installing them later can damage established plants. Space supports at regular intervals up to the expected mature height of the rose.

Planting the Climbing Rose

Follow basic planting guidelines when installing your climbing rose:

Dig a hole 16-18 inches wide and deep. Position the rose 8 inches from the wall.
Amend the soil removed from the hole with compost to improve drainage and nutrients.
Remove the rose from its pot and loosen circling roots before placing it in the hole.

Backfill the hole with the amended soil, forming a mound for drainage. Water thoroughly after planting.
Spread new mulch 2-3 inches deep around the base to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.

Initial Training of the Canes

Roses form flexible canes from the base each year that can be gently trained onto supports. Here’s how to direct new canes growing on a brick wall:

Tie the main canes loosely to supports spaced horizontally using stretchable plant ties or twist ties.
As new canes emerge in spring, gently tie them onto hooks or wires along the wall to encourage horizontal growth.

Position ties loosely to avoid constricting cane growth.
For denser coverage, carefully weave canes through a trellis attached to the wall.
Remove any canes growing away from the wall and redirect new canes towards support hooks or wires.

Ongoing Care and Maintenance

Once established, climbing roses on brick walls need:

Watering – Supply 1-2 inches of water weekly if rains are lacking. Avoid wetting foliage.

Fertilizing – Apply a balanced organic fertilizer in early spring and again after first flush of blooms.
Pruning – In early spring, remove dead or damaged canes. Prune to shape and open up interior to allow air circulation.
Training – Periodically check ties and attachments. Retie loose canes or redirect wayward growth onto supports.

Weeding & Mulching – Keep area around base clear of weeds. Replenish compost or wood chip mulch annually.

Troubleshooting Problems

Watch for these potential problems and take corrective action:

Minimal blooms – Increase sunlight. Apply organic rose fertilizer to boost flowering.
Leggy growth – Prune back outer canes by 1/3 in early spring to encourage fullness.
Poor drainage – Refresh mulch and amend soil with compost to improve drainage, especially in clay-heavy soils.

Diseases – Improve air circulation. Remove and destroy afflicted foliage. Treat with organic fungicides.

Enjoying Your Climbing Roses on Brick

With proper care and training, climbing roses transform bland brick walls into stunning vertical garden features. Choose varieties suited to your climate and provide ample support for the flexible canes. Train new canes gently onto hooks or trellises. Climbing roses offer armloads of roses and perfume right where you can enjoy them most!

Tips for Training Climbing Roses on Brick Walls

Select vigorous climbing rose varieties suited for your region and the growing area’s sunlight.
Install screw or eye hooks into mortar joints to support canes horizontally along the wall.
Space hooks or tie points every 12-18 inches up the wall to the rose’s expected mature height.

Plant the rose 8 inches out from the base of the wall to allow air circulation behind canes.
Gently secure new flexible canes along support hooks and trellises as they emerge each spring.
Allow 1-3 feet of space between varieties if planting multiple climbing roses along a wall.

Water deeply around the roots and avoid wetting foliage, which can encourage disease.
Apply organic rose fertilizer in early spring and again halfway through the blooming season.
Monitor ties and attachments regularly. Loosen or retie canes to avoid constricting growth.

How to Plant a Climbing Rose Near a Brick Wall

Follow these tips for proper planting:

Dig a hole 16-18 inches deep and wide. Position 8 inches from the wall.

Amend removed soil with compost or organic material.
Remove rose from pot, loosen circling roots, and place in hole.
Backfill hole with amended soil, creating a mound for drainage.

Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the roots.
Spread 2-3 inches of mulch around base to retain moisture and reduce weeds.

Ongoing Maintenance for Optimal Growth

Water 1-2 inches per week if rainfall is lacking. Avoid wetting foliage.

Apply organic rose fertilizer in early spring and mid-season for abundant blooms.
Prune in early spring, removing dead canes and opening up interior for air flow.
Monitor for diseases like black spot. Improve air circulation and use organic fungicides.

Periodically check and adjust ties and attachments to support vigorous growth.

Common Problems and Solutions

** Sparse blooms**: Increase sunlight, apply organic fertilizer to boost flowering
Leggy growth: Prune outer canes by 1/3 to encourage bushy full growth

Drainage issues: Refresh mulch, amend soil with compost to improve drainage
Pests/diseases: Treat afflicted foliage organically, improve air circulation

Enjoying the Benefits of Climbing Roses

Prolonged bloom time through spring, summer and fall

Beautiful roses visible up close each day
Lovely floral fragrance around doors and walkways
Attracts pollinators like butterflies and bees

Conceals dull or unsightly walls with natural beauty
Provides vertical interest and depth to garden landscapes

With proper care and training, climbing roses thrive beautifully on brick walls! Follow these tips for success in growing and enjoying their blooms.

supporting and training a rose on a wall or fence

Place the lowest straining wire 2 feet above the ground and do this every 12 to 18 inches up the wall or fence until the rose is at its full height. The span of the straining wires should cover the width you want the rose to fill. Every 5 feet along the length of the wire, put a vine eye in it to keep it in place and stop it from pulling. Alternatively, support using a trellis attached to the wall and tie-in directly onto the trellis.

Encourage side shoots to grow as the rose grows by spreading the stems out left and right into the empty space and tying them in as you go. The goal is to make good, even coverage.

A wall, especially a house wall, is one of the best places to grow a climber. Roses always look best when closest to where we live. The formality of architecture contrasts beautifully with the natural growth of the roses. There is also something about walls that makes roses grow much taller than they would anywhere else. This is particularly advantageous in the case of shorter growing roses, such as David Austin’s English Climbers. Most climbers do best on walls that face south or west and get a lot of sun. However, some types do better on walls that face north and get some shade.

Planting near a wall or fence

Place the rose 8″ away from the wall. The hole should be 16″ across, and the rose should be in the middle of it. In the middle of the area you want the rose to cover, spread the stems out on either side. For fences, avoid planting against the post due to the concrete in the ground.

When covering a large area, space the roses out by the same distance as their mature height.

How to Build a Wire Trellis and Train Climbing Rose

Can roses climb a brick wall?

Although you can grow climbing roses up a brick wall safely, without fear of it damaging your brick, for the best results, your rose is going to need some support. Climbing roses actually don’t ‘climb’ by themselves – they need support for all those big, heavy beautiful blooms. So they need something to effectively grow around, or be held up by.

How do you attach climbing roses to brick?

Plastic brick clips with wire support are the safest way to attach climbing roses to brick. These tips will help you to create a climbing rose wall that not only wows everyone who sees it and scents your home or garden beautifully, it will help protect your brick and mortar too! Will Vines Damage A Brick Wall?

How do you train a rose to climb a wall?

Since then, Vass’s technique of training climbing roses on walls by bending the shoots down in half circles (often enabling the end of a tip to be tied to the shoot below), has proved its worth. The roses have far more flowers than if the shoots are left to grow more vertically.

How do I prevent climbing roses from damaging my brickwork?

In order to prevent climbing roses damaging your brickwork, use a trellis to establish growth, prune carefully and be sure to choose a species that is less invasive. Plastic brick clips with wire support are the safest way to attach climbing roses to brick.

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