dinosaur1, It's hard to see the canes because they mix in with the background of your soil/mulch. Some of those canes look dead to me, but, hard to tell from the the pics. Do you know anyone in your area that grows roses, that could take a look at them and maybe share there expertise with you on pruning, etc. ?

If it will protect my rose's from looking like crap in 125F heat I am willing to try it. I don't get to enjoy my rose's in the summer in the Arizona desert my growing season is when most of you are buired under the snow. I dread summers but have to stay her until hubby retires. I am willing to try a product that claim's it will stop the stress my rose's are under in Jul, Aug & Sept. I will not build a cover in my front yard that I have to take down in the winter and apply and pay for a building permit with my city hall. A product I can spray would be easier and less expensive. If I lived in Zones 5,6,7 & 8 I would poo poo this product too but when one struggles with 125F in the hot Az. heat you try anything to stop the roses from being under so much stress. I have tried tons of organic products to help with summer stress to no avail. I am always on the look out for products that are somewhat sold at a reasonable price( I would only need the 16oz size).If you lived here and put up with the ugly leaves, the proliferated blooms you would be looking for new products to stop that too, and they get plenty of water and mulch, I do not feed them in the summer because of burn. I think I will try it, unless someone here has a better idea then building a structure in my front yard. Carrie

Okay, this is a wild chance, but a lady who lives near me has the most beautiful older rose bush, seems very healthy and disease free, a lovely soft pink, and she is more than willing to give me a cutting.. however, I have never, ever, had luck getting a rose cutting to take for me. Please anyone, advise me the best time and the best method... can I really just try to stick one in the ground? I tried several cuttings some years ago and not one took... did jars with covers, rooting compound, etc... maybe just sticking it in the ground may actually work... this rose is on its own roots too, it just sprang up on its own from a parent plant about 4 feet away... she doesn't know its name but its lovely. The parent bush is at least 40 years old she says. I'm in Nova Scotia near Yarmouth, currently getting some advice from rose forum people on better Austin or English types which will withstand the damp air here...

It's OK, Harborose, I did chuckle at your jest and I have been victimized by thieves. Let's not lose our sense of humor here, please. After all if we can't laugh surely we'll be crying. And I hate when that happens! My brother wants to get security cameras for the yard. For several years now, besides the roses being stolen, we've had our apple trees stripped clean of fruit either at night sometime or when we weren't at home for some reason. We use those apples for cooking all winter long and were very upset by the thought that someone climbed, and we think shook, the trees to get every last one down. The shaking is bad for the trees and my fear is some idiot will fall and then have the gall to sue us! We're pretty sure they went as deer bait no less because we've had several guys stop and ask if they could have them for that purpose. I really missed my applesauce, baked and apple pies the first year. Since then we've been trying to pick them earlier. They're not as sweet but at least we get some.