Question
Hi:

I despirately need some help.  I planted two climbing rosebushes 2 years ago.  One on each side of an Arbour at the front of my home.  They have never bloomed.  I have lots of leaves but no flowers.

This year i have noticed that I have black spots on the lower leaves and they are starting to turn yellow and fall off.  

They have both climbed up and over the arbour.  Should I cut them right back or just leave them over the winter.  I really am confused.

The card on the plants read

Climbing Improved Blaze (Everlasting Climbing Rose)
Rosa enredadera

Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Marie Penney
Burlington Ontario

Answer
It is not unusual for climbers to not bloom for three years. The reason is because they are very vigorous and they make growth at the expense of blooming which takes the most energy. Improved Blaze is a good climber and will definately bloom for you.
What you see on the lower leaves is a rose disease called black spot. It is an air borne fungus which floats in the air until rain or wind knocks it to the ground. If it lands on a rose leaf it starts it's life cycle. When the spore has turned to mould then you see the black spots. Many black spots on a leaf will kill it because it uses the sap in the leaf to live on. As you can see you can't get rid of it permenantly you can only keep it under control.
In your area, gardeners have had a lot of success keeping black spot under control by spraying with a dormant oil and sulphur in the early spring just before the rose starts to grow. It is advertised for trees but the instructions are on it for the roses. This kills any spores that have over wintered on the canes. You can also used a fungicide called Funginex when the leaves start to grow. Hitting black spot in the early stages is the best and only way to control it. Once you see a lot of spots in the summer, it is too late. Just use the spray monthly. Black spot won't kill a rose but it looks bad.
If your climbers have come through a couple of winters without any majordie back then they don't need too much protection. However I would not let any tall canes wave around in the wind so you can either tie them down on the arch or simply cut them back.
Next year don't be so kind to the roses and that will slow down the growth and make it concentrate on blooming. It is the nitrogen in the fertilizers that causes climbers to go wild. Two cups of bone meal scattered all around the base is all that it will need for the year. Because roses love cool, damp roots, it's also a good idea to put a thick 6 inch mulch around the base.
By the way, black spot on roses in the fall is not unusual and usually doesn't cause any problems. The conditions are just perfect in the fall as it rains and is damp.
Hope this helps. Lynnette