Not to worry. It will probably send up new canes from the graft. Also, if you can get that last existing cane as horizontal as possible it will send up laterals off of that that will bloom this year. For future reference, never take off more that 1/2 to 1/3 of the oldest canes in any one year. And any dead wood, of course. So if you only have 3 canes only take one off. But you really don't need to take any off if the rose is still young and the canes are healthy. That's more for very old climbers that might need rejuvenation.

Climbers should not be prune for three years so that they can put out tall canes. The little pruning is required appart from the removal of dead or very old wood plus dried out tips. Lateral branches on wood which has flowered can be cut back under the blooms to three inches. If the climber is outgrowing its alloted space then these canes can be cut back to fit.

Great feedback everyone. I must be totally misunderstanding the concept due to my climate. Is the idea to only defoliate/prune 30% from each section, knees, waist/chest and head height? Then leave 60% foliage and unpruned? Or is it saying to prune 30% — of the size — off the bush from each section? Or something else entirely? Question.... in “stagger pruning” if you only prune 30% from each section.... then what about the rest? I must be missing something here because I read the article and understand Peter Beales differently... ???? Let me explain a little more of my scenario (sorry for the length)... Ok here’s what I was thinking... most of my climbers that I was planning on doing this way are along a wired fence. The wires do a good job of visually separating the roses into lateral sections. I have a lot more than I hav ever had and it’s going to be a HUGE task this year. Roses don’t go dormant here, but I am planning on forcing them dormant by stripping off the leaves. They have been flowering well top to bottom this first year, but of course I want them to continue. I was thinking that if I begin at the bottom third, see what I have to work with as far as canes, then also begin defoliating, begin pruning about 30% in the other sections, making sure to leave some terminal cuts in the bottom (knee) section, some in the waist/chest section and some in the section taller than that, etc.... Then move my focus up to the middle third over the next 2 weeks, while still making sure to check my previous or make some new terminal cuts in the knee section, chest/waist section and the section taller than that ... (it will probably take me 2 weeks to get through them all anyways) Then finish by focusing on the top third, again making sure to to check ormake some more terminal cuts in the knee section, chest/waist section and the section taller than that — and untie, take them down and retie them if necessary. I like the idea of spacing it out instead of doing it all at once because if we get another crazy weather year, the wrong weather at the wrong time can ruin a whole flush. Spaced out it will be an easier task and I bet I willl still have my wired fence covered in flowers, but it will be over a few weeks instead of all at once. My understsanding of stagger pruning must be wrong... but that was the idea I had about how to tackle pruning my bazillion climbing roses. Ok... so now... thoughts from you wonderful, knowledgeable rosarians who are constantly teaching me and helping me? :-) Thank you!

I just deadhead the blooms but do not cut the pegged cane unless is it is dying back. There will be Rebloom on those laterals. Also if the laterals are really long I will take off more of the lateral when I dead head. Over the years you may need to take that pegged cane out if it is not producing blooms any more.