How to Plant a Climber
Climbers literally
add another dimension to any garden. You can inject vertical interest
into even the tightest of spots and there are climbers to suit every
situation. There are two major types of climbers: self clingers
e.g. ivy (Hedera) and climbers requiring support twiners e.g. honeysuckle
(Lonicera). You will find most climbers are sold container-grown.
Roses are the major exception, as many of these are supplied bare-rooted
. Most climbers come in taller than usual pots, and with their top
growth supported on a cane or framework. This workshop shows you
how to plant any climber.
What You Need:
Space against a wall, fence or other support; the climber of your
choice, suitable for the conditions; a spade; a fork; watering can;
wire for making a support; garden twine; canes; secateurs. Optional:
a cane marked at 30-45 cm; organic fertiliser, mulch.
.
Step 1
Give the plant a good soak of water - if it is really dry sink the
plant in its pot in a bucket for an hour or so. Then hold the compost
around the base of the plant and ease it out of the pot. Make a
support framework on the wall or fence for the climber, using the
wire. See our workshop: How to Support Climbers. Measure out from
the wall a distance of 30-45 cm. Place the plant on the ground and
draw a circle around it with your spade, about half as wide again
as the top of the pot. Put the plant to one side. Dig the hole,
making a pile of soil to one side. Make the hole a bit deeper than
the pot and loosen the soil at the sides and bottom with your fork.
Step 2
Place the plant in the hole leaning it slightly back towards the
fence or wall. Lay the cane across the top of the hole to check
the planting level. Add or take away soil to get the right level.
Gently spread the roots at the bottom and sides of the root ball
away from the wall. NOTE: If you're planting clematis and climbing
roses the crown of the plants should be planted a bit below the
level they were in their pots.
Step 3
Refill the hole with the soil. You can add organic material or fertiliser
to this if you like. Firm the soil around the roots of the plant
in stages with your hands to exclude air pockets and finish off
by gently firming all the way around the top of the plant with your
hand or heel.
Step 4
Untie plant stems from the central cane. Spread out the shoots.
Select the strongest 3 or 4 and put in shorter pieces of cane for
these and attach the cane to the wire support. Tie the shoots to
the canes with twine.
Step 5
Cut off any damaged, weak shoots back at the central stem. Any shoots
leaning a long way forward should also be removed. You are making
a good framework for your climber by doing this. Water the plant
well. Apply a handful of organic fertiliser around the top and scratch
this into the soil with a fork. Apply about 7 cm of mulch around
the plant. Check to see that the soil around it is moist throughout
the first growing season.
Source: Greenfingers.com
