nanner wrote:

I planted 2 New Dawn climbing rose plants, the cheap kind from Home Depot
(5.99 each, I think there is worse out there)

I built a nice trellis and put it up on the side of my shed and planted the
roses in front. They are growing, it looks like about 2-3" have come out in
a few spots.

It's been 2 weeks since I planted them, is this a normal rate of growth to
expect? about 1-1.5" a week or is it more random than that?

The info I read on New Dawn says they will get to be 8-10 feet so I am
wondering if I can expect that in a season...honestly I have no idea what to
expect!! This is my first attempt at roses and I am new to gardening in
general!

Any info will be helpful - I just can't seem to find the answers I want
through google.

Wanna see the trellis I built? As you can see in the picture I have shade
there part of the day.
http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/nanner2000/Trellis.jpg

the picture was right after i built it but before i centered it and attached
it. each plant is centered in front of the 2 ladder-type sections. It's 8' x
6' I think I will put something decorative in the top middle section

thanks all!

First of all, don't expect much the first year your roses are in
the ground. Their roots must get established before they can
supply moisture and nutrients to top growth. I have a climbing
'Peace' that extends along a low wall some 30 feet. It barely
reached the top of the wall (about 2.5 feet high) the first year.

This leads to the second important point. DO NOT FEED your roses
in the first year. Fertlizer will encourage top growth before the
roots can sustain it. If you then get a sudden heat wave, the
plants might wilt.

Be patient.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at URL:http://www.rossde.com/garden/