Although a few climbers are sold with bare roots, most climbing plants are sold container-grown. In either case, make sure you choose a healthy plant with a good framework of strong shoots, and discard any that show signs of disease or pest infestation.

Bare-Root Plants

Bare-root plants should have plenty of healthy, well-developed, fibrous roots that are in proportion to the amount of top-growth.

Pot-Grown Plants

Pot-grown plants should be well-rooted; check this by turning the pot over and seeing if the tips of the young roots are just showing. Never buy pot-bound plants - those that have a mass of roots protruding through the drainage holes in the pot, or that have their roots coiled tightly around the root ball - as they rarely seem to grow on satisfactorily.