Get the Beauty of Climber Roses without the Fuss!

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You can grow climber roses in pots—and with the right care, they’ll flower and bloom beautifully!

If you’re dreaming of a rose garden, but don’t have the space for it, don’t give up hope. You can still enjoy the beauty and fragrance of roses without having a garden. Just grow climber roses in pots!

You shall learn:

  • Pots to use for climbing roses
  • How to plant climber roses in containers for the best results
  • How to care for and water roses in planters

Growing climbing roses in pots is very achievable even by beginner gardeners.

sceptre d'isle rose in half wine barrel

Pots for Climbing Roses

When growing climbing roses in pots or planters, it is important that you first pick one with good drainage and plenty of room for roots to grow.

The pot should be at least 18 inches deep and wide enough for the rose to grow well.

I personally like half wine barrels or planters that look like them, though I have planted in galvanized tubs and stock tanks too.

Make sure your container has several drainage holes on the bottom so excess water can easily escape; if it doesn’t have them, make sure to create some yourself!

I use a drill with a 1/4 to 1/2 inch bit for creating the holes, making sure there are plenty.

Plant Climbing Roses in Pots

Once you’ve got your container ready to go, add some homemade compost or well-rotted manure to provide nutrients for your rosebush. (I typically use about 4 inches or so).

This also acts as a filler so you don’t need to use as much expensive potting soil.

beginner easy

Garden Compost for the Best Soil

Making compost for a beautiful garden is fairly simple. Even small gardens can have a neat little compost bin tucked in a corner.

Important: Do not use fillers like empty water bottles at the bottom to make the rose planter lighter, the roots need this space filled with soil. Plus you will need the weight, climbing roses get quite top-heavy.

Add good a layer of quality potting soil to the pot. Judge how deep to fill it by the size of the root ball or the rose container it comes in.

For example, some rose suppliers ship roses bare root and they look like this…

bare root rose laying on shipping plastic

If your rose is bare-root, give it a soak while you are preparing the container with soil.

You can trim up the roots to about 6 inches long to make them easier to plant. Don’t worry, this won’t hurt the plant.

Now when you place the climbing rose plant into the container you want the soil line to be about an inch below the top of the container (or a little more) and up to the base of the lowest canes of the rose.

See this video of how I planted a tree rose in a pot, it might help the visual.

If you live in a very cold area and it is a grafted rose, then you want to bury the graft to protect it. I prefer Own Root roses because if the upper portion gets killed off for some reason the rose will come back true to what you purchased.

If it is a grafted rose what comes back from the rootstock will be a rose inferior in quality and not the color you purchased.

If you bought a potted rose already in a container then you will fill the planter just enough so that when you place the rose removed from its original container on the soil it will not be above the edge of the new planter.

Where to Locate Your Climber Rose

Now one thing I should’ve mentioned is if you are planting the climbing rose in a larger container you may wish to put the pot in its final location before filling it with soil.

Once you fill the container with soil and plant your rose it may be very heavy!

Most roses, even climbing roses, prefer bright sunlight for 6 hours or more for good blooming. Some will tolerate shadier conditions but typically they bloom less.

So for the best performance from your climbing roses locate them in good sunlight. Also, placing them near a water source or within easy reach of your hose is essential.

How to Water

Climbing roses in containers will need more water than those planted in the landscape so be diligent with water.

This past year I put in a drip system that feeds into my potted plants, including the roses, and it really does help keep them healthier getting consistent watering.

During especially hot periods check your roses more frequently as they can dry out quickly.

Rose Support

Make sure to provide support for your climber roses. You can use an obelisk that fits into your pot…

see the instructions

Easy DIY Obelisk

This super simple DIY obelisk makes a great climbing rose trellis and support. Adjust the size as needed!

Or you can place stakes around your bush so that it has something to climb onto as it grows.

A trellis or fence are both great options as they provide extra support and will help keep your bush upright over time.

Personally, I love a good arbor for them to climb over.

I shared one we built ourselves…

Create this today

Simple DIY Garden Arbor

Yes, you can build this beautiful garden arbor to support your roses, and create a dramatic entrance for your garden or garden room.

Did I forget anything? Let me know if you have any more questions and I will do my best to answer them.

Happy Gardening!

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