Question
Hi Lynette,

I have a question I hope you can help me with.  I planted a Paul's Himalayan Musk Rambler in the summer of 2002.  Although it is climbing like crazy it still hasn't bloomed.  Is this typical?
Thanks!

Answer
What you describe is not unusual. When a rose has great vigour, like Pauls Musk, it uses up all it's energy making growth at the expense of flowers. It will grow like mad for a couple of years and then bloom. The older it gets, the more it will bloom. Don't be too kind to it by being generous with the fertilizer especially the nitrogen. This will make it grow more and produce less flowers. So when it is the height and size you want it, only give it a cup of fertilizer each spring, no more and that way you get lots more flowers. Once blooming climbers only need one fertilizing.