Cadence, The rose shown on the picture is a HYBRID Tea Rose. Most of the Hybrid Tea Roses on the marked in the last 20 years are grafted (grafted means that the rose is grafted on a root from another rose). In Canada, the nurseries use mostly Rose Multiflora to graft roses. In most of the USA, especially in California, roses are grafted on Dr. Huey. In Florida on Rosa Fortuniana. In Europe, the most popular graft is Rosa Canina but Rosa Multiflora is also used. Then your rose is grafted on Dr. Huey (import from California) or on Multiflora (transport from East Canada). The best pruning time for the Fraser Valley, BC, is the second half of February. Thanks, Marek

It seems as though from what I am hearing here the teas are pretty tough. I decided to gently shape my young teas by trimming the inward and crossing canes so that they grow outward, away from each other. I noticed that several canes were damaged from rubbing against each other in the wind. I also removed viney looking weak growth lying in the soil at the base of the bushes, that gave me the impression it was sapping some of the plants' energy. Damaged and cruddy looking leaves were removed. I then spread compost and organic based food around them, along with some coffee grounds. I figured the organics would break down slowly so as to not promote soft weak growth with "winter" coming on. However, with our long growing season, I feel they need something to eat. So far, the bushes are looking a great deal healthier, and are putting out strong growth from within the canes, which will eventually thicken the bushes up. I didn't try to shorten the bushes or contain their growth at this point. I only trimmed what I thought would be beneficial to the overall health of the plant, and to encourage them to grow outward in a somewhat balanced fashion. If canes are rubbing together, it is a prime site for disease to get into the bush. Pick which of the two are the strongest, leave it alone, and trim the weaker one to an outward growing bud, out of rubbing distance. If they are a little awkward, but not rubbing, I leave those alone, as the bushes are immature. Sandy

One of the older conventions of rose care is to cut way back on a one-cane wonder to force more new canes. It doesn't work. It's kinda like beating a sick child to make it stronger, IMHO. If you really want the rose to get stronger, what I do is dig it up and pot it in good potting soil and in a pot that is not too big for the root system (otherwise they're susceptible to root rot if the pot is too big). Then I baby it along and see if I can get it to revitalize. If it's only got one cane, it's because it's weak and not growing well. Pruning off what little top growth it has will only weaken it more. Vigorous plants respond to heavy pruning by growing more, but weak plants die. I'd wait til normal spring pruning time to prune back Mr. L. I find that fall pruning in my climate, at least, results in increased cane canker from exposing cut wood to wet winter weather. Yes wind whipping can be a problem but it's better to stake and tie in most cases. You can indeed prune into old gray wood, so long as you see a bud. I'd only do a third or half the canes that way at one pruning and wait for the next year to do the others. I have revitalized old improperly pruned roses that way, but that was in mild California with long growing seasons and gentle winters. I haven't tried it here.

Re-reading this thread once again. I just thought I'd point out how much difference subtle climate variations can make in the health of roses. I'm not sure exactly where Luxrosa lives, but we are both in the general Bay Area, me in the South Bay. Celine Forestier was on her list of very healthy roses. It is one of my worst for PM, and its spot is going to be given to Bouquet d'Or when that rose arrives. My fingers are crossed that it will do well here. I fell in love with it from Paparoseman's pictures. Of course he lives up in the PNW, a climate completely different from anywhere in the sunny Bay Area. Rosefolly