2nd year they creep and third year they leap. My two are in pots facing ssw. I planted in a combination of Ocean Forrest/worm castings. no fertilizer the first year and a time released one this year. I give them comfrey tea monthly as well as using worm castings tea. not a lot of blooms this year but the vines are doing great. I had some issues with black spot and used a fungicide earlier this year.