Neal ..
I usually get some roses actually leafing out at the end of January. I just ignore them, but I think this year is going to be different for us. Night temps have been running about 10 degrees warmer than usual and I don't think we are going to get any more freezing night temps.
The forsythia is showing more than just swelling buds ... early for us ... so I think I may start pruning some of the roses this week. Usually, I wait until the forsythias are blooming. It's just that with the roses so severely deer pruned, I don't want them to waste energy putting out growth that I am going to cut off. Since I don't think any new growth will be destroyed by cold, I am going to go for it.
