 Climbing Rose Question
Question:
I have just bought a climbing rose
called Danse du feu. I have planted it
in an old chimney pot which is 18" tall and 9" in diameter. This is sitting
on a 4" layer of gravel under which is concrete. I am training it onto a wicker climbing frame. Any suggestion on how and when to prune?
Answer:
Although pot growing roses can be
successful, the eventual size of the bush is limited by the size of the root
system. Not a problem with smaller bush roses but due to the length of the canes
of climbers this can limit their growth and flowering. When digging up a well
established bush, the thick roots you see are mostly anchor roots. The tiny
feeder roots that supply nutrients and moisture to the plant normally are easily
broken off and left in the soil. A good root system will be as large as the top
growth. Providing a larger pot will fix the problem in the short run but overall
the plant will not achieve it's full potential. As the pot fills with roots a
dilute fertilizer should be supplied each time it's watered. Notice I said
"dilute", not full strength? Manure tea would also work. I'd not plant a climber
in anything smaller than a half barrel or a large tree pot. Climbing rose Danse
du feu, also known as Spectacular. My sources show it to be a vigorous grower
which means it will be severely stunted in the pot unless it is supplied with
frequent fertilizings and waterings.
It's not recommended to prune
Climbers until after the first spring bloom. Your bush is listed as "recurrent
blooms", which means it will have a spectacular first bloom and a smattering of
flowers throughout the growing season with a possible fall bloom that will not
match the spring's. Most climbers in this catagory will set blooms in the
fall and blooms best on old wood from the previous year. Pruning in spring
removes those blooms. Because it's recurrent, it will also produce a few blooms
from new growth, but not many. You may remove damaged or dead cane tips in the
spring but any other pruning should be done after the spring bloom. Over a
period of years older canes will produce fewer flowers. This can be remedied by
removing those old canes. This promotes new growth which will supply more
flowers and will keep your bush vigorous.
To train it onto a wicker
climbing frame, tie the canes to the frame with soft ties or cord. Weaving them
in the frame can make it hard to remove dead and damaged canes and also cause a
problem if you wish to move the bush.
If you live in a cold winter climate, some winter protection may be required to
protect the canes or they may die back each winter. Wrapping the trellis and
exposed canes with burlap may work as would removing the canes from the trellis
each fall, laying them on the ground and covering them with leaves, soil or wood
shavings.
To prevent fungus diseases like blackspot, you should spray every week or 10
days with a fungicide such as Fertilome's Liquid Systemic Fungicide, Ortho's
Funginex or other product labeled for roses.
I don't spray insecticides. Insects don't eat that much and, unless you are a
prefect leaf freak or exhibitor, a few holes in the blooms or leaves don't hurt
anything. Insecticide spraying will kill many beneficial insects which if left
alone will naturally control harmful ones. If done, it should only be done to
destroy existing insects and not as a preventative.
Hope this helps
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