Question
MY HUSBAND MOVED A HOUSE LAST SPRING AND SOME OF THE PLANTS AROUND IT.  THE HOUSE WAS 40 YEARS OLD.  ONE OF THE PLANTS WAS A CLIMBING ROSE.  I WAS EXCITED ABOUT CLAIMING IT AND PUT IT IN MY YARD.  IT DID NOT PRODUCE A ROSE ALL SUMMER.  THIS SPRING IT HAS ALREADY LEAFED OUT BUT NO BUDS. IT WILL ROOT ITSELF WHEN A LIMB LIES ON THE GROUND. THIS THING IS A RAMBLING ROSE WITH THICK STURDY LIMBS.  IT HAS STURDY THORNS AND WHEN CAUGHT ON CLOTHING, YOU ARE PRETTY MUCH TRAPPED. HOW CAN I TELL WHAT KIND IT IS AND WHY WILL IT NOT BLOOM?  

Answer
From your description of the rose, it certainly sounds like a rambler, allthough it may be a species (wild) rose. Very old roses do not move very well and will sulk for a few years before making any flowers. They use up all their energy making new roots. These old roses bloom on canes they have grown the year before so if you prune them in the spring you cut off most of the flowers. Don't give the rose any fertilizer that has nitrogen in it as nitrogen is to make plants grow better and that will only delay flowering even longer. Sprinkle a couple of cups of bone meal around the base and put a thick 6 inch mulch all around it as roses love cool roots and do much better when they are cool. Just use extra soil, bark mulch, compost etc.. If the rose roots easily, you may be better to make a new plant and then you would get it to bloom much quicker. Hope this helps. Lynnette