Why Your New Climbing Rose Isn't Blooming Yet: Patience and Proper Care

Climbing roses (like Zephirine Drouhin) spend their first 1–2 years building a framework of long canes. No flowers is normal. They bloom on old wood, so the canes grown this year flower next year.

What to Do

• Don't prune—you want those long canes.
• Fertilize with a bloom-booster (high phosphorus, e.g., 5-20-13) or a dedicated rose food.
• Train canes horizontally to encourage lateral flowering shoots.

By year two or three, you'll see the payoff. Winter is not the time to expect blooms.