I don't know that there is any "rule" about it, but if appearances is your primary concern, I'd either trim back to just above the first 5 leaflet cluster (or if the rose has 7 leaflet clusters, back to just above the first 7 leaflet cluster), or I'd just wait a while until the rose got ready to put out some new growth--then when I could see where it wanted to grow from, I'd trim back to just above that point. (You could continue dead-heading the faded blooms while you waited for the new growth to make an appearance.)

Kate

Kate is right. What you're doing is fine unless those stems bother you. If so cut them back to the 5 leaf set or to where it's beginning to grow from and it will look less twiggy.

Thanks so much dublin and seil. When you say cut back to the first set of 5 leaves, would that be the first set from the top of the stem or the bottom of the stem? Thanks again.

I'm not sure if this is 100% correct, but when I deadhead, I clip down until I see a new bud swelling at the base of a stipule. Usually, this goes along with "the first set of five leaflets" but sometimes it means further down. In other words, there isn't always a swelling bud at "the first set of five leaflets", and if not, I go down to the second or third.

:-)

~Christopher

First 5-leaflet from the TOP. However, this should not be a firm rule. With young plants, just pulling or snipping the blooms will usually produce the fastest growth--let the rose decide where it wants to grow out. New growth will soon cover the twigginess. Or for maximum neatness, cut above any leaf below the branching structure. Three vs. five doesn't matter.