Q Why did my climbing roses do so poorly this summer? Henry Belston, by email
ARoses don’t thrive in very hot, dry summers like this year’s. They tend to do best on a clay soil such as yours, but wall-side borders are particularly prone to drought. Once a clay soil dries beyond a certain point gardeners generally underestimate the amount of water needed to rewet it, which is somewhere around 24-litres per sq m every seven to 10 days in dry weather.
However, one dry summer shouldn’t set your roses back permanently. Prune them as normal in February, removing any dieback or weak growth and apply a rose fertiliser or Growmore at two handfuls per sq m. Mulch with garden compost or well-rotted manure in March and repeat the fertiliser application in early June.
If we’ve a dry spring or summer, commence watering after seven to 10 days of dry weather at up to 24-litres per sq m. Roses really do enjoy some pampering!