Now I have 3 blind or nearly blind plants.

I have a Stephen's Big Purple that was a band last year and who managed 3 extraordinary blooms anyway. SBP has put on new growth in bunches at the ends of his canes (top) , but he has no growth from the main stem below- though I see eyes down at the bottom plumped up`--- and he has no flower buds at all. GASP!! Zero. The growth looks totally normal- not deformed or red or small etc.
There are 2 Chrysler Imperials about the same. One with growth low and high (that bunched up super branching that looks almost like a witches broom, but it's not) as well as regular long shoots- and he has zero buds too. The other CI, while just growing out the top-- has managed a whole 3 buds on a big plant.

All the other roses in that bed (Intrigue, Oklahoma, Lady Emma Hamilton,) were pruned very little and are full of buds.
All my other beds have roses ready to pop too. I've got brand-new-this- year-bands budding and newly planted (yeah 4 weeks ago planted) body bag roses budding up. Last years bands (Will shakes 2000, golden celebration etc.) are all budded well. young and old looking good.

So- Is it likely this blindness is from not pruning or rather a frustrating flaw of these 3 plants?

Should I go ahead and prune these guys by a third now and see if I can get some buds or do I have to be gentler?

I also wonder if I can take a whack at gertrude Jekyll after she blooms. She looks like an ostrich. or big bird with these bare legs. I never have had to worry about leggy bare ankles till now.

You'll have to decide. Just an FYI, but the blind shoots themselves are probably evidence of freeze damage - just not enough to kill the canes outright. Every rose variety reacts just a little bit differently to freeze. Similarly, if the temps were close to freezing and not a deep-freeze, then you'll have all sorts of variation. Besides the variety's inherent freeze resistance (or lack of), it all depends on the location, the wind blocks nearby, the amount of sun, etc., etc. The only thing that will be the same is if you have two of the same bushes in the same location - even then, there may be some variance.

If the bush is healthy and vigorous otherwise - cut away - but probably just down to the next 5-leaflet leaf. If the bush is somewhat weak - one or two canes, very short, and struggling to hang on, then I'd leave them.

Ultimately, it's a judgment call ...

But it does happen when the weather cycles inappropriately from warm, to cold, to warm.

Me, I don't PRUNE the plants, but I do cut back the blind stems, and remove the clusters of dwarfed leaves that gather at their bases. This foliage will age quickly, turn yellow, and fall, and/or become diseased.

I just got done doing this for 'Lady Reading' and 'Fourth of July.' I should have known when they got SO leafy, so early, there was a buncha blind growth there.

Jeri

The roses all look fat and healthy and green, except Stephen's big purple being an ostrich. I think I'll prune the older ones down a bit harder - cutting back canes with eyes below---and just take the baby SBP back to a 5 leaf..

I don't grow roses for their foliage!

I was planning on ditching that weird thatch of growth on CI, so good to hear your thoughts are in this line----unfortunately- SBP, doesn't have much else going on, so I will leave it to do what it will this summer and let it die back in winter.

Our climate is not really ideal for roses in--- 50 percent of our winter days are above freezing, and nearly every night is below. Some times we get to the high 40s for a while with sun, then head back below 20. Over and over.

This excessive freeze thaw cycling doesn't seem to bother the Austins and old roses, but the HTs are harder to keep alive and growing larger than in zone 4 montana where it freezes and stays frozen. My mom grew an unprotected (no mulch no nothin) Double Delight with the graft a good 4 inches above ground for 20 years- blooming it's head off and growing a massive root system like driftwood before a very early freeze (went from 60s to 5 degrees in late October) took it and many old trees with it.

Thus SBP will be keeping his this year. I wouldnt keep a rose though which gave no flowers, so I look to change that aspect is my point.

I like your advice about pruning back to a thick part.

(BTW, Crysler imperial is noted historically for having a tendency to blindwood. 100 percent blind in some cases).

Thus SBP will be keeping his this year. I wouldnt keep a rose though which gave no flowers, so I look to change that aspect is my point.

I like your advice about pruning back to a thick part.

(BTW, Crysler imperial is noted historically for having a tendency to blindwood. 100 percent blind in some cases).

With large, well-established plants, I wouldn't hesitate to re-prune at this point. They have stored energy to drive strong new growth. With plants that were bands last year, it's a judgment call, but I'd probably lean toward letting them keep the leaves they have managed to produce.

In a climate where winter damage occurs, I'd be leery of own-root hybrid teas, especially from bands. Actually I've had no success with own-root hybrid teas. I'm not going to try any more of them.

I was planning on ditching that weird thatch of growth on CI, so good to hear your thoughts are in this line----unfortunately- SBP, doesn't have much else going on, so I will leave it to do what it will this summer and let it die back in winter.

Our climate is not really ideal for roses in--- 50 percent of our winter days are above freezing, and nearly every night is below. Some times we get to the high 40s for a while with sun, then head back below 20. Over and over.

This excessive freeze thaw cycling doesn't seem to bother the Austins and old roses, but the HTs are harder to keep alive and growing larger than in zone 4 montana where it freezes and stays frozen. My mom grew an unprotected (no mulch no nothin) Double Delight with the graft a good 4 inches above ground for 20 years- blooming it's head off and growing a massive root system like driftwood before a very early freeze (went from 60s to 5 degrees in late October) took it and many old trees with it.