Support for a climbing rose.

[Gideon Singer]

I have a large climbing rose on my 8ft solid back fence that has come crashing down due to the support wires rusting thru. Is there a good way to support a rose on a fence without the use of a trellis?

[animaux]

Yeah, use loosely attached plastic supports on the fence and to it that way. Climbing roses don't actually climb. They need supports, be it the type you had which rusted or plastic supports. You can buy them at Home Depot in the cable tv wire and accessories section. Make sure you don't choke the branch by making it too tight in the support. I've used those cable mounts, then thread a tie wrap through very loosely around the branch and leaving it like that. It takes years and years for those to disintegrate.

[Shiva]

I am trying to picture this. Is your rose growing only on your side of the fence? Or only on one side? Also, what kind of climber is it and where are you?

[Gideon Singer]

[Shiva]

I see. Your climate is certainly good for roses, from what I understand. And lucky you to find a shade-tolerant rose.

I asked about what side of the fence because I have enjoyed most the climbers I have allowed to just mound over my fences on both sides. They require no tethering at all. But I have ugly chainlink fences, great for covering this way. A larger, solid privacy type fence wouldn't be good for this.

[Mike]

You can use fence staples and garden ties. Both are readily available at any hardware or home improvement store. Cheap, easy, effective, and practically invisible. It allows you to place support exactly where it's needed, and it's very easy to add or replace support as needed. I've been doing this for several years and it works great.

Mike

[David Ross]

I use brass screw eyes and screw them into the mortar joints of a wall. I use brass because it does not rust and because it's soft enough to yield while working it into a joint. Then I tie the rose canes to the eyes, sometimes close and sometimes quite loose, depending on the way the cane is growing.

The brass eyes will also work on a wooden fence if the wood is thick enough.