Organic Gardener

Climbing Plants and Roses

Climbing Plants

These style of plants are a great way to add versatility and height to a garden without compromising space. Their natural hardiness and ability to grow through older plants make them a great choice for the organic garden.

Climbing techniques
Climbers have many different adhesion techniques that enable them to climb. The easiest for the gardener to maintain are the self supporting species. These plants have tiny roots or suction pads which adhere to most surfaces, even smooth.

Some such as wisteria are twiners, that grow by wrapping around supports such as host branches or poles. Other methods include creeping plants which are ideal for use as ground cover.

Training Climbers
Many climbing plants (eg Snake vine) require wire or mesh to enable them to grow up on poles or rails whereas climbers such as wisteria are able to climb largely without help. Climbers are often vigorous growing plants and require pruning to keep in check. Train climbers by removing old and cross over branches and tie long shoots into position.

Roses

Roses are often the pride of many gardens and are in the majority easy to grow and maintain. They do however account for a large proportion of pesticides in regular garden environments.

Choosing the right roses for an Organic Garden
Certain roses are less suited to being planted into an organic garden than others. Roses such as hybrid tea and cluster roses require ample spacing, dislike competition and tend to be more suceptable to disease and pest infestation. Shrub roses are better suited as they tend to be hardier plants, are more wildlife friendly and require less pruning and maintenance.

Where to plant roses
Roses perform at their peak in sunny open spaces with good air circulation and well drained but retentive soil.

Growing roses in a mixed border is best, mixing low growing plants with bush roses adds diversity and encourages natural predators.

Planting roses is a simple process involving the trimming back of roots removing damaged ends. Pruning back hard after planting works well even cutting back to the second or third bud.

Caring for roses
Mulching is vital in the care of roses in an organic garden as is the use of a medium to high fertility soil improver.

Roses require watering especially the root systems and respond especially well to careful pruning. Roses can be kept vigorous by cutting out older stems entirely on a 3-4 year cycle. Shrub roses should be left unpruned for the first few years, the less they are pruned the more natural the shape of the shrub.

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