Spring growth is always more vigorous. Pruning down to a lower thicker cane stimulate the growth and spring growing conditions promotes that growth. When you prune that first flush you are not pruning down to those thicker base canes but only to the secondary thinner canes. Also growing conditions have changed. Hotter temps and less rain promote less growth. So the second wave of growth is smaller all around. Some people just snap the dead bloom right below the hip, some do the traditional cut just above the first 5 leaf set and others do a deep dead heading and go down and prune more cane length to keep their roses to a size and shape they prefer. Doesn't matter which you do the roses will decide for themselves how THEY want to grow, lol!

In hindsight....probably would have taken it down 1/2" of what I removed off the spring flush...

I guess that's what they call observe and learn.. ;-)

I think you are observing and learning and helping all of us on the way! Seil, you have the best way of explaining things. I always look forward to your comments. :-)

My routine of -gardening- is a bit different in the -new rose bed-

For years, I've stayed away from growing roses, thorns ,BSD, etc.

Last year, I did see how BSD can defoliate a shrub earlier before the hard frost

I generally don't spray anything in the garden in general unless I see aphids, mites, etc.

With the rose bed this year, I am more preventative versus reactive While a bit later into the season, I started spraying when I did the initial deadhead and started seeing some BSD. With that said, I definitely do see a difference in foliage (with spraying that not)

Not sure if it's cultivars/species independent as well, but in my observations/learning, I can definitely see how some pewther out in the heat, brown out and others, as silly as this may sound, still stand strong with petals intact, even with a good -shake- to them.

a1an:

Are you subjecting your roses to a controlled shaking regimen to

“strengthen” their roots and increase root mass?

LOL. Ha. No. As was deadheading, I was deciding if some open blooms I would leave alone till they went pfft...Since I was out there with pruners in hand, and waste basket next to me , the shake the petal test confirmed they were getting deadheaded as well.

Speaking on Roots, how LONG does Rose Roots Grow...

Years ago, when I was removing a -old rose- that came with the house, I swear it was like a anchor root. Must have been at least close to 2" thick and I stopped digging at 3 feet down and just took a lopper and cut it out.