HelpfulGardener.com

Hello all,
My new house came with a Rose bush in the yard, next to the fence on the south side. My neighbor on that side told me that the previous owner never really took the growth down each fall (as she recommended).

So, when she told me, that you should cut off everything in the fall, right down to within a foot of the ground, after most of the leaves drop off the plant, me, not knowing anything, followed her advise, for several years.

Well, anyone care to guess what I have now....?

An overgrown, out of control, mess of a bush that only produces about a dozen Roses once. (I have since put up a 6' fence on that side to limit neighborly intervention and this bush is over it!)

I have tried doing some research on-line only to find out that different bushes require different pruning at different times and also that the number of bloomings per year carries some weight in it's pruning method and schedule.

I have no idea what kind of bush it is besides the fact she said she saw it bloom only once a year. The Roses are a good size, about 2 1/2 - 3", red.

I would like to have this bush be it's best. My father loved Roses and if he was around now, he'd be here tending to it as if it was an infant every weekend.

So, where do I start and what do I do first?

Redvan, 10:1 the rose you have is called Dr. Huey. It's a red (usually deep red or a little purplish), once-bloomer of about that size bloom. It's the rootstock for most commercial grafted roses and it's common because thats what's left after the original grafted rose dies from cold or disease. It's a climber (has really long canes) so it'll get big if you don't cut it back and because it's a once-a-year-bloomer, if you prune it in the fall or early spring, you cut off the canes that will bloom. Letting it bloom and then cutting it back after blooms should let it bloom more if you like the rose.

But, for many who like roses, Dr. Huey represents a rose that should be dug out and replaced; it's blackspot prone and, as you found out, very vigorous and thick. Better to find a rose you like and grow it.

professorroush,
you hit the nail squarely on the head, yes it does get black-spot later in the season.

So, I need to leave it alone this fall, then after it blooms in the spring, cut it back to get it to bloom again, all the while keeping it under control.