I do know....Do not spray rugosas with anything. I tried rejuvenating one that came from an ancient church yard. The spray almost killed it. It finally came back okay by itself.
Can you cut a piece off of it(with a good chunk of the roots) (divide)? That is all I know that works/or not!

Treat it exactly like a lilac. If the old wood is growing and producing, leave it. If it isn't, cut out about a third as close to the ground as you can get.

I would not remove old growth if it has live bud eyes and shoots growing from it. The bud eyes are small reddish swellings on the canes.

Removing the dead wood is beneficial.

The bud union is at the base of the plant, where the budded variety is grafted onto the rootstock. Your rose might be grafted, or own root.

I would not remove suckers from the area unless you are sure that the suckers are not from your rugosa. Return in early summer to see if the suckers bloom, and compare the foliage and canes to see if the suckers resemble your rugosa.

Many of the Cemetery Roses that I visit are in the 50-100 year old range, based upon the age of the headstones, and suckering of the mother plant is common to see.

The Cemetery Roses get blackspot, as do garden roses in the area, this is not a concern.

If grass or weeds are growing right up to the base of the rose, careful weeding to remove the weeds would be helpful. Some organic fertilizer once or twice a year would be beneficial. If the soil is compact, light raking with a hand rake will help to aerate it. Raking should be done carefully to avoid damaging roots on the surface.

I don't have a suggestion I just wanted to say how wonderful I think it is that you can still have a rose on your father's grave and can tend to it. I know the reasons for the modern grass covered flat "memorial lawns" but I know my grandfather would have prefered to be buried somewhere he could have something green and growing and beautiful as his memorial.

Oops--posted on the wrong thread. My apologies. Have no idea how I managed to make this goof! Please ignore the above post.

I too think it is great that a rose is allowed by a grave. Can't be done where my parents are buried--much to my disappointment.

Kate

Like all ready mentioned, old roses respond well to good compost and some organic fertilizer twice a season, it sounds simple but nothing beats the combination. I also like seaweed and seaweed extract. Roses are most susceptible to aphids if the soil is dry. Lots of fertilizer also seem to make aphids multiply a lot, but either way, new growth is always a good thing.

Best of luck with your rose