Those aren't roots under the top growth, but just residue of dried stems, and the like and perhaps some roots near the surface the plant can do without. It's time for major surgery. You don't need to deadhead waves, they shed their old blooms, but they continue to grow, and grow and grow on their leaders and sooner or later, you do need to whack them back good, so that new laterals or side growth can occur and make them bushy again.

You don't even have to be particularly careful doing it. I just take a scissors and cut the stems, whack...whack...whack. It's better to do this more often and take off less than once a season and really remove growth, because the newer the stem is, the softer it is and the more easily new growth can burst forth.

Be patient. It usually takes a couple weeks, but soon you'll see new leaves beginning to pop out from the old leaf axils and then expand and you're up and running.

Thanks so much! I will get busy tomorrow shearing!