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Hello, I am hoping to receive some advice on how to successfully grow a plant I bought for my sister which died days after giving it to her. I brought it home, put it in sunlight and it began to sprout leaves out of what appear to be otherwise barren stalks. The stalks used to have leaves all up throughout but fell off after that initial die out. The leaves at the top seem to be doing quite well, yet nothing is growing beneath. I have trimmed back some stalks to try and get it to grow but where I have cut just has the edges browned and no sign of regrowth. I would love some advice as any research I have done does not address this specific issue of having barren stalks with new growth sprouting out of the top. Do I cut the whole thing and hope it will grow, or hope that since the top seems healthy that the rest will follow suit?

Actually you are doing fine. Roses do like to be in the sun so if you gradually acclimate it to the sun it will be fine. It is also a heavy feeder so give it rose food accoring to the package instruction. As for leaves on the bottom, don't worry too much. Roses bloom on new wood and it can sucker from the cane. When you cut the roses cut it just above a node that has 5 leaves.
I like to cut it where the stems are thick since the stem that grows off it will be thinner. If you cut it high, you will have more bare bottoms. Make sure your pruning tools are very clean and sharp.

imafan26 wrote:When you cut the roses cut it just above a node that has 5 leaves.
I like to cut it where the stems are thick since the stem that grows off it will be thinner. If you cut it high, you will have more bare bottoms. Make sure your pruning tools are very clean and sharp.

Thank you for your reply! I'm not entirely certain I understand specifically what you mean by nodes and when I should cut it. There were four plants in that pot, two of which are growing, the other two seem not to be doing anything. Should I leave them or somehow get them out? It may be because I tried to cut it back in hopes that it would grow, but the bark has turned brown and seems unwell.

The other ones seem to be growing and I believe there is a bud on one!

Where each stem is attached to the stem is usually right near a node. Which is a growing point for new stems. You look at the leaves. The ones that are the youngest at the top will have three leaves. As you get to the older leaves you will find they have 5 leaves. cut just 1/4 inch above where there are 5 leaves. Make sure your pruners are clean and sharp.