Question: My climbing roses never bloom. I’ve had them three years, but no flowers to-date.

Answer: That usually results from late winter pruning. While bush roses are properly pruned in February each year, climbing roses bloom on wood they produced the previous year. You must wait until they finish the spring burst of flowers to prune them. Late-winter pruning removes all their developing flower buds. Remember, too, that climbing roses won’t usually bloom their first year in the garden for the very same reason – theymust produce long canes for one season before they will set buds. It’s also noted that climbing roses bloom better and quicker when their branches are somewhat horizontal, rather than just vertical.