Why does my climbing rose never bloom? - Ask Extension
We recently purchased a house with this rosebush in the yard. Don't know its history. We fertilized it, powdered for bugs, but it never gets any flo...
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Why does my climbing rose never bloom? #271020
Asked August 18, 2015, 9:43 AM EDT
We recently purchased a house with this rosebush in the yard. Don't know its history. We fertilized it, powdered for bugs, but it never gets any flower buds. What do you think the problem is?
Delaware County Ohio
Expert Response
An interesting rose question since most rose concerns at this time of year seem to center around disease or insect problems.
Here are just a few things that can cause a rose to fail to set buds and bloom:
Fertilizer - Use of high nitrogen fertilizer
Light - roses need a minimum of 5+ hours of direct sunlight
Pests - some pests feed on buds
Environmental stress - heat, cold, wind, too wet, too dry, heavy insect damage
While all of these can cause roses to fail to bud out and bloom and grow only what are called "blind shoots", they are usually temporary in nature. Once the conditions causing the stress are removed, the rose will grow normal canes with buds and eventually bloom.
Your title and the picture you furnished; however, gives us what I feel is the real cause of your dilemma. The rose you have looks to be an older climbing rose. Many older climbing roses used to be known as "second year" or "old wood" roses. These roses do not set buds or bloom on current year's growth. Because of that situation, winter die back or heavy spring pruning makes all the growth this year as new wood and you get no buds or blooms. Many of these roses were also "flush" bloomers as opposed to being continuous blooming. A "flush" blooming climbing rose usually has a single heavy bloom in early June and then does not bloom again until the following year. These are some of the reasons, newer varieties of climbing roses (especially recommended in northern climates where you have heavy die back) are repeat bloomers (set buds and bloom about every 6 - 8 weeks) and bloom on new wood.
If you want to keep this rose and try to get it to bloom, try doing minimal pruning (only remove third year or older canes and spent blooms) and bring all the canes down to the ground and heavily mulch them to help them survive the winter.
Good luck with your rose and enjoy the rest of your summer.
Here are just a few things that can cause a rose to fail to set buds and bloom:
Fertilizer - Use of high nitrogen fertilizer
Light - roses need a minimum of 5+ hours of direct sunlight
Pests - some pests feed on buds
Environmental stress - heat, cold, wind, too wet, too dry, heavy insect damage
While all of these can cause roses to fail to bud out and bloom and grow only what are called "blind shoots", they are usually temporary in nature. Once the conditions causing the stress are removed, the rose will grow normal canes with buds and eventually bloom.
Your title and the picture you furnished; however, gives us what I feel is the real cause of your dilemma. The rose you have looks to be an older climbing rose. Many older climbing roses used to be known as "second year" or "old wood" roses. These roses do not set buds or bloom on current year's growth. Because of that situation, winter die back or heavy spring pruning makes all the growth this year as new wood and you get no buds or blooms. Many of these roses were also "flush" bloomers as opposed to being continuous blooming. A "flush" blooming climbing rose usually has a single heavy bloom in early June and then does not bloom again until the following year. These are some of the reasons, newer varieties of climbing roses (especially recommended in northern climates where you have heavy die back) are repeat bloomers (set buds and bloom about every 6 - 8 weeks) and bloom on new wood.
If you want to keep this rose and try to get it to bloom, try doing minimal pruning (only remove third year or older canes and spent blooms) and bring all the canes down to the ground and heavily mulch them to help them survive the winter.
Good luck with your rose and enjoy the rest of your summer.
Thank you for this information Dan. This climbing Rose is located where it does not receive enough sunlight. I may consider moving it. If so when should I do that?
Fall is usually a great time to move an established rose. I would think about mid-Sep on and watch for dry spells. Keep the transplant well watered and then mulch in December to minimize winter die back.
I hope you have great results.
I hope you have great results.
