Climbing plants add an interesting vertical element to the garden. Ivy, clematis, wisteria, and climbing roses are among the most common climbers, and are surprisingly easy to grow. Before planting, visit your local garden center for help in choosing a variety that is right for your area.
Location
Deciding where to place your climbing plant is crucial. Most vines and climbing roses require sufficient sunlight to grow abundantly. Roses need about 6 hours of sunlight daily, and not too much water, so place them away from downspouts and the eaves of your house. Flowering vines like clematis and wisteria need shade on their roots and sunlight on their shoots. Plan your site carefully and pick a plant accordingly.
Training the Vine
The amount of coercion required varies with each species.
Climbing Roses
A cascade of roses weaving around a pergola adds beauty and romance to the garden. If you've decided to use roses as your climbing plant, check with your garden supply store to find out what species are best for climbing, as only roses that produce long canes will actually "climb."
Once you've planted your chosen rose, you will need to let it grow unaided for about a year. The following year, tie the stiffer canes to the structure, and tie more limber canes outward to produce lateral blooms. Use soft, thin cloth, garden tape, or strips of old pantyhose to secure the canes to the structure. If you're training your rose to climb through latticework, you only need to thread the canes through in the desired shape.
Maintain your rose's shape by removing dead and damaged canes regularly. In a few years, your climbing rose should yield an abundance of flowers.
Clematis
Clematis climbs by curling its tendrils around an object, but when first planted it needs a little assistance. Use garden tape to gently attach the plant to a trellis or other wooden structure. Once it becomes stronger, you can move it to another location.
Ivy
This hardy plant can tolerate shade and poor soil conditions, but it's an aggressive climber and must be pruned regularly. Ivy clings to surfaces through the use of adhesive rootlets, a bit like tiny suction cups. Plant ivy next to an arbor or trellis and it will do the rest.
Wisteria
Wisteria is the favorite vine of many Southern gardeners. It climbs by curling its branches around a vertical support, but it needs to be tied to the support when first planted. If you would like to train wisteria along a fence, tie the strongest branch upright on a fence post, and tie other branches vertically to the fence.
Once established, wisteria grows rapidly and abundantly. Regular pruning of side growth is required to prevent the plant from becoming too bushy.
