Hi they say a pic is worth a thousand words. This is my Den as you can see it has bloomed from a leafless cane. It actually has three spikes all from leafless canes. So you can just leave the canes because it will probly bloom from it. I will post a pic of the entire plant below so you can see what I mean. I hope this will make you feel better. VELLETA.

I kind of feel your pain as I currently have 4 climbers and I doubt any of the 4 will fill my arbors as much as I'd like them to before I move. There are many things that are simply outside of your control in order for the rose to become worthy of climbing. In my opinion, the biggest thing for roses of your age is just to get the roots as established as possible. Sunlight + nutrient uptake = growth. Sounds simple, but that's about it. After that, you just have to decipher how you are going to get sunlight and nutrient uptake. Well you already have them planted in a location where there is probably enough sunlight...so that is out of your control. So everything moves over to nutrient uptake which is mediated by the extent of the root structure. Seeing how young they are, the roots are still small and finding their way. In order to promote new, vigorous growth and long basal canes, you will have to encourage root growth as much as possible so the roots can suck up as much nutrients as it possibly can. Ways to do this? Well, personally what I prefer to do is lay down rosetone and then deep water the rosetone into the soil right BEFORE I know there might be a stretch of hot dry days when the rose needs watered. I do this because the rose probably appreciates the watering and fertilization, but more importantly because the roots will want to seek out nutrients and water once it becomes drier, so it will encourage the root system to dig wider and deeper, therefore encouraging future water/nutrient uptake. Think of a kid reaching for candy on a shelf that is at waist level, and then the kid stretching for candy on a shelf that is 2ft above it's head. Same philosophy...kid and rose both wants to satisfy it's needs and will go to extra lengths to do it. The added aspect of the rosetone or whatever compost/fertilizer you use, is that it typically has mixtures of other ingredients which helps with soil culture in establishing more microbial organisms which aid in the conversion of nutrients for the roses. These are some of the modifiable aspects of what you can control. After that, it's all up to the rose for finding it's own way after you yell at it enough and threaten it with a shovel to grow faster. Haha it occurs all in due time.

Peachymom -- that would also work. A slightly more convenient way to do the same thing is with Rooter Pots. I use them, and they work well. Lee Valley Tools has a "free shipping event" now through Sept. 27. (They do that twice per year, approx). This is actually an excellent way to propagate plants that are difficult to root by cuttings. The Lee Valley Tools product Woods Rooting hormone is also a good one that I have used successfully. I have noticed however that rooting anything requires night time temps above 55 degrees. So if it is getting cold where you are, don't expect anything to root this winter, either by layering into the ground, a pot or rooter pots. Kathy

wow intolerant to beet sugar, and by the sounds of it, rather drastically intolerant. (is it anything like gluten intolerance? If so perhaps there are support groups our there that can help you figure out what is safe and what is not, as well as working to get companies to share the information on labels.) I'm intolerant of High Fructose Corn Syrup but it is only a mild intolerance. I don't think I'm likely to go to the hospital from consuming it, worst case is being doubled over with a horrible belly ach for a half an hour if I stupidly drink a can of soda on an empty stomach (or a big glass of Cool Aid or any other beverage high in that particular sweetener. As for the whole debate about cane v beet, I don't bake/cook/whatever enough to have much of an opinion about it. However, I did once try growing sweet sorghum. Didn't grow enough to try milling it or making it into syrup though and don't have the equipment to do so either. I understand processing sorghum (and probably cane too) is a pretty heavy task that can last several days even on a small scale.