I think Winter/Spring pruning is best here. I would stake a cane over cutting if I could because I like my plants large. I have cut off damaged/dead/ugly growth anytime.

I actually don't mind taking the stems down in the spring....even tough they are right now a bit more VERT than expected. When I read the as bush roses, I interpreted them as 3-4' semi bushy forms.

For all woody shrubs IME, I do like to leave the canes as long as it can remain in strength until the spring pruning. Mainly because I figure the more stems/length for the winter to kill from top down and work it's way back.

I don't do any substantial pruning before winter kicks in and I'm in the kind of zone where we can get enough snow to snap canes that are long. Still, I'd rather have the chance for more cane to survive the winter than not, then as Sheila says decide in spring if we want to do some shaping or other kinds of rejuvenation of canes when they're no longer in danger of dying for the winter. Pruning heavily before cold sets in could start the rose wasting its energy putting out new growth just to get zapped by the cold, and I'd rather have the canes store up that energy.

Bottom line, in zone 7 you probably won't hurt anything either way, but there's no need for pruning before the winter unless you're trying to fit the rose into a particular size protector (not something I'd recommend doing in zone 7 either). Just support the base of the rose and if you're worried about particular canes you can support them on something too.

Cynthia

I am concerned about snow load-cane breaks - somewhat OT, but let's say each rose has anywhere from 3 to 5 budded canes on the root stock, It's not as if I will get *new growth from ground up*, or do heavy pruning by removing old wood to have new ones come up from below since it's not -own root-.

I live less than 1/2 mile off the water. I never see powder. It's always wet and heavy.

If I lose one cane from snow or other things, doesn't that mean I am one less cane in my framework due to the fact I am working with budded roses and I will never ever get new canes ?

I did post a similar topic and in past replies, I think we kinda agreed that as long as I planted the union a smidge below the line, there is a possibility that in due time, it would put out it's own roots.

I hear ya. I don't intend to do major fall pruning....aka, I'm waiting till it's dormant. But after seeing one cane snap doe to bloom size, I do want to take off some of the lighter/not as thick canes that may be a problem if they are whipping in the wind (thorns) and or just potential snow loaders that will snap more than it should. Am I looking at this wrong being what I'm saying ?

Sure, the bare root planted only had a few inches of stubs poking up in the ground and some of them grew to 6 ft in height. So I know it is hearty in growth regardless of cane size .

I don't do any pruning in the fall. Those canes are storing energy the rose will need in the spring to start out with. Besides winter will decide where I need to prune to anyway. So I leave it all in the hope that some of it will survive to start with next spring. Anything that is tall and might whip in high winds is staked to support it.

I have never seen a cane snap because of snow weight. I have seen canes snap because someone thought they should try and shake the snow off because it had bent the cane down under the weight. If the canes bend DO NOT try to remove the snow by brushing or shaking it off. Just leave it alone. As the snow melts the cane will come back up on its own. If the cane is still slightly bent in the spring stake it up straight for a while and it will be fine.

You will get new growth from the ground up.

Generally, people who cut back in the fall to decrease wind damage, cut to about 3 or 4 ft.

Thx MG. New growth ground up only = Own Root ? I have huey. I'm all about cutting the old to spur new growth below.....I posted this in a couple replies back. I was under the impression I was ~stuck~ with however it came budded from the grower, but sheilia has suggested 2 replies back that NEW canes may come from the bud union. I'm hoping so.....

a1an all my David Austin’s are grafted on Huey. I definitely have way more canes than I started with 3 years ago. I burry my grafts so I can’t exactly tell you where the new canes are coming from, but they are there so I wouldn’t worry about loosing canes too much.

I have had several canes break this year do to very heavy blooms in the rain. I just cut them back and move on. I feel like here in 7b I could prune any time since I don’t think dead canes are a big concern in most of the roses I grow, but I usually wait until mid to late February to prune and clean up.

Sorry for such a long post. If you think some of your canes are too too long just trim them back, but the usual thing is to wait and then prune and clean any damage in late winter/early spring.

Interesting Diane. Have you done a slight dig to see if the canes are *new* off the union or just underground off the old canes. Or maybe even better news that it's own root. You post is good news regardless.....I'm a huge fan that for woody shrubs, to prune out the old flush to the ground to let the ~new ones~ be more vigorous ones ! Not often or annual, but often enough is what keeps a shrub healthy !

Here I was thinking I'm buying budded roses, and

No sorry I guess I haven’t care where they are coming from as long as they are there. If by any chance I dig and can figure it out, I’ll update you. Good luck!