How to take care of your climbing plants Caring for your climbing plants so that they are trained and pruned carefully will help your climbers to grow attractively and healthy whilst being able to cover walls and save space in your garden. Choosing the right climbing plant for your garden First off, you want to make sure you have the right climbing plant for your garden. Depending on how much you want to have to maintain it, care for it, will differ between different types of climbers. For a no-fuss climbing plant, the Honeysuckle makes a great choice as it is fully hardy and easy to grow. It is happy in the sun or semi-shade and thrives against walls, a trellis or an arch, so makes an easy going climber! For a beautifully scented climbing plant then the Wisteria climber makes a great twining climber. Offering clouds of scented pea-like flowers that live amongst oval green leaflets. This climbing plant is fast-growing and does well against sunny wall, pergola or fence. We also have other options of climbing plants that are ideal for covering walls, trellises and help to save room in smaller spaces. What support do your climbing plants need? Your climbing plants will need support and they should be in place prior to planting as this will allow them to grow freely against walls and fences. There are different types of supports such as: Trellis: They can come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be bought or handmade. Some trellises may be a fence, a structure placed against a fence or a wall, free-standing structures and other shaped structures that are capable of supporting a climber. Wires: If you already have a wire fence available or perhaps you are looking at putting up wires against a wall then these will also make good support for climbing plants. A top tip is to ensure the wires are tensioned so that they do not sag over time and can continue to support the plant. Arches and other decorative structures: You can train a climbing plant to go over arches and other structures like this in your garden. These will not only support the plant but also look beautiful in seating areas or simply as a walk-through. There are other great methods that you can use to support your climber plant. Take a look at our patio planting guide to discover how climbing plants can enhance even the smallest of spaces. Training your climber When it comes to climbers don’t assume they will look after themselves. Most need help when it comes to growing so being tied to a support when first planted or provided with guidance to get the support will help it to grow well. You want to make sure that the climbing plant is planted correctly. Ensuring it is planted between 30-40cm from the base of the wall, fence or other support so there will be enough room for development but also is far enough from the soil to avoid the plant becoming damp. Choose your support and ensure your climbing plant is positioned so it will attach to your support. You will want to fix the main shoot to your support to ensure they are secure and not tempted to grow elsewhere! Once set up you can give your plant some TLC and you will have a plant that is ready to grow. Depending on the type of climbing plant you have, planting and growing conditions will vary so its worth researching the particular climbing plant beforehand to make sure you have the right support and can maintain it correctly to optimise growth. Climbing plants aftercare All climbing plants will need some maintenance and aftercare to ensure they can continue to thrive. Its recommended to tie new growth regularly and extend canes when the climbers are starting to outgrow their support. Once the climber is established you will be able to remove the canes as they will have formed thick stems. You will also need to keep them well-watered for the first few months after planting to ensure they don’t dry out and to protect them when frosty. We have a wide variety of different climbers including Grapevine plant, Ivy plant, Wisteria and climbing roses that include Rose Penelope and Rose Maid of Kent and more. Climbing plants are a great, versatile plant to have and can easily enhance any garden space. BACK TO ARTICLES
