There is a difference between climbers and ramblers which will affect how and when you prune. As I am not familiar with PM, I cannot help on this one.....but, as a rule, ramblers which bloom on older wood also tend to throw canes from the base...and therefore need pruning after flowering so new wood can ripen for the following season. Climbers, on the other hand, will produce laterals which will often (not always) bloom on new seasons wood...and require the usual spring pruning to keep in shape and health. Vigorous laterals can be swapped about easily, removing gnarly ones and tying newer greener canes in their place. Even so, I would hold off on any pruning as your rose is still young and developing - it has no trouble producing blooms on upright canes that I can see, so wait another season or two and just observe the sort of growth patterns you are getting.

Brandy--(my sisters name is Brandy btw!) I haven't yet heard back from the previous owner but I checked my aol email and it shows she hasn't yet read the email. I very well may have an old email that she does't check anymore. I could go to her new ranch, its just a ways up from me towards the next town but I didn't want to just show up on her porch uninvited :) I'll be able to get a hold of her eventually, and will make sure I do so before my husband needs to start moving things for the renovation/remodel of our farmhouse. Jeri (from this board) has been in touch with me and she is wanting to come out sometime in the next few months to check some of the rose bushes we have here. I sent her a TON of pictures on email, poor thing! She's been very friendly and helpful. I haven't been able to answer this post because I've been camping at the beach with my kiddos and although I had access to internet I tried very hard to just sit back and enjoy the quiet time with my kids :) Yes, I'm familiar with the Mojave desert, we camp there all the time during the cooler months (desert camping is usually from about Oct-April for us!) We take the dirtbikes out to California City in the winter and we spend the summers at the lakes or the beach. I'll keep everyone updated as I find out information. Jeri gave me some possible names of the other roses we have, I have no idea if they are anything special (my gut says they aren't but I dont know a THING about roses LOL) but she says she saw enough that she still thinks its worth a trip out to our ranch to check them out. So I'll be in contact with her about that. Thanks for everyones interest! Sammy--I wll have to check out the Dainty Bess, the Natalie Bloxham, Arcola Gardens and Seil roses to see their resemblance to mine. I'm still not sure anyone (or even Jeri?) is convinced its a Kathleen but she sent me a picture of the Rancho Camulous Kathleen out here near where I live and it does look eerily similar. So...we'll see! Tam

Thanks Anntn6b for checking your Safranos. Mine has canes that aren't even that dark a green, (such as the inside of a lime). They have more of a sickly yellow tinge to them. I don't know if that means it is lacking in nutrients, or if it is an inferior bush or had some measure of neglect previously. It does have new leaves growing out of these canes, and the leaf cutter bees seem to be enjoying the leaves. I just don't know if I should plant this bush or buy another somewhere else. I really want a nice speciman to grow up in the spot I want to plant one. Talk about heat. Isn't it awful this year!? I'm trying to put some much needed fertilizer down, and I have to say, I am not enjoying it very much. Sandy

I use a spray that is called Lime-sulphur. I buy it from our Farmer's Co-op (and the brand I have now is Bionide). It's a product used by orchards, as well, so that might help you search for it in larger than pint size. Mine has dormant strength dilution of one cup LS per gallon of water. Judy, Mid to late Feb may be too late for you. Start watching in late December. There is a point where the buds start to swell and you'd have about a week to react. The LS dormant strength needs to be applied by someone wearing a serious respirator AND goggles AND old clothes. The LS doesn't wash off the rose canes and you don't want to spray it onto the side of your house. It stinks of sulphur=rotten eggs. As for when to prune: you can take dead canes off anytime. And for some of the thornier roses, cutting the dead canes out is easier to do when you are armed with heavy clothes protecting your arms.