HI, it is fall and my rose bushes are gorgeous but now 10' high or so...and i got exactly 1 rose out of 3 plants this year. So, my questions: 1) how can i prune these back? 2) video suggestions to make this easier for a novice 3) why did i get humongous plants that are healthy and happy, but no flowers?

My knowledge of rose care comes from my grandmother in the midwest who has harsh winters. I do not know how to do this in this northwest climate.

thanks!

Hello! It is almost too late to cut back roses, this is typically done in the spring, usually February to March. What is usually done during the spring and summer is deadheading, which keeps the roses blooming. What variety are your roses? This determines how they are trimmed or cut back. I see you are in Washington state. What is your zone? This will determine when you cut back in the spring. I'm not sure why you didn't have any roses this spring and summer; when did you plant these, how old are they?

Hopefully (a) the plants rebloom and were planted in full sun so they do not stretch towards the light and become leggy and (b) you are not over-fertilizing or using fertilizers with a high nitrogen number in the NPK Ratio as that produces a lot of green growth and no or few flowers. The September flush is now starting down here. Compile a list of rose variety names and what types of roses they are so you can learn when it is safe to prune. You can go to www.helpmefind.com/roses

They are 10-ft tall and have not bloomed?

I have some questions . . .

Did you plant these roses? Or were they there when you moved into your home?

If you planted them, what were their names?
How long ago were they planted?
Have they bloomed well in previous years?

The one bloom that you got . . . What did it look like?

did you prune them in the spring?

I'm with Jeri and Vaporvac, we need more info. If these roses were already there have you ever seen them bloom? Do you have any pictures of them?

If you pruned them in the spring and they are once blooming roses you may have pruned off all of this year's blooms. If that's the case then you DO NOT want to prune them now! Just leave them alone until AFTER they bloom NEXT spring.

First, this is not the time of year to prune. You should prune in winter--say January or February, March at the latest.
Second, are you sure the roses you are concerned about are not once-bloomers? Some roses bloom only once a year. Do you know the class or variety of your roses?
Third, though I live in northern California, I have experienced some unusual behavior with some of my roses this year. Several of my plants--a 'Bowbells', 'Mme Alfred Carrier', and a couple of others which are rebloomers, bloomed only in May. I've had no blooms since. And another rose, which blooms only once a year has bloomed twice as of right now. Still a few others, like 'Belle Poitevine' which usually blooms exuberantly at least twice a year has been very stingy with bloom after the first flush. I conclude it's climate change, with the soil warming.