I recently planted a David Austin climbing rose next to a tree that I want it to climb up. I made sure to follow all the instructions and watered it well. However, I just realized that I should have angled the rose slightly towards the tree when planting it, which I didn't do. One of the main branches is leaning towards the tree, but another branch is going the other way. Has anyone dealt with this before? Should I dig it out and replant it, or is there a better way to handle this?
3 Answers
Honestly, if you want it to climb a tree, a rambler might be better suited for that. Climbing roses like yours typically do well on trellises or walls. Check out the David Austin website for more help on that.
It should be fine! Just make sure to tie it to the tree until it establishes itself. This will help guide it in the right direction.
Thanks! So, when you say tie it in, do you mean tying it to the tree?
Climbing roses won’t attach to a tree on their own like ivy would. You'll definitely need to tie it to the tree. If the rose is flexible enough and the tree is small, you could wrap it around the tree and back onto itself, but just be careful as the tree grows since it could cause some issues.
Got it! So, it sounds like it’s not a big deal that I didn’t plant it tilted towards the tree, but I should definitely tie it as it grows. Thanks for the insight!
I actually have the Francis E Lester, and the staff at DA said it was good for climbing. I think it’s a rambler according to their site.