Now that I have many mature monster roses (both once blooming ramblers and HUGE reblooming Rugosas) with a gazillion blossoms, deadheading has become quite a daunting task. Anybody have any tips?

Wow! That's a beauty. I should think that dead heading a once bloomer would not be necessary. And the old roses often prefer not to be pruned. Otherwise, I have no useful ideas.

I'm less than helpful.. my biggest rose I have is my Austrian Copper & it's barely 4' long. Sawwy. I can be green with envy, though, can't I?

I agree with porkpal, there really isn't any reason, unless the bush gets unwieldy or you are finding a lot of dead wood in it. I do occasionally do a radical prune on an ogr that's gotten too big for it's place or just plain ugly when the blooms die off, but yours looks lovely, and the hips that come after the blooms are like a whole 'nother good thing!

Heya, Vicky! I'm guessing it's mostly the rugosas you're wanting to dead head to encourage rebloom, but that is a monster! It would take hours, and a ladder to do it the recommended way! I wonder if shearing off the tips would work?

gemini_sage said:Heya, Vicky! I'm guessing it's mostly the rugosas you're wanting to dead head to encourage rebloom, but that is a monster! It would take hours, and a ladder to do it the recommended way! I wonder if shearing off the tips would work?

Thats what I was thinking I might have to do Neal but was wondering if other did that.

Actually, I don't do anything to my rugosas and they continue to bloom anyway, but I have fairly large numbers.

I always thought rugosas didn't like to be pruned.

I just take out the dead wood, unless they've gotten too unruly. They can stand a good cutting and come back - rather irrepressible that way.