lack of blooms on climbing rose

Question

A neighbor gave me a beautiful bright orange climbing rose. When it begins to bloom in Spring, it is covered with blooms. After that initial time, there are only a very few blooms at a time. What am I doing wrong? I live in Maryland (zone 7) and we have extremely humid summers. Is there a special plant food I should be using and how often? Thank you for any assistance you can lend.

Answer 1

Do you know the name of the rose? If yes, then search for that specific rose’s care. Breeding for repeat blooming roses has had varying degrees of success. Regardless, repeat blooms will not match the flush of spring blooms. There are aspects of care that do make a difference in repeat bloomers. The plant needs full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sun daily; it should be fertilized several times during the growing season – the timing will depend on which fertilizer you use; and annual pruning stimulates more productive, younger canes. Check the website of the American Rose Society for detailed information.