I have some roses that I quite like, but they're rather old, too. I
wouldn't expect that to be a problem, and it mostly isn't. But some
have formed a large woody lump at the base (not suprising after years of
pruning), and the plants seem only able to make new shoots around it,
coming out horizontally, which doesn't help their habit. I can cut bits
of it away, although I'm not sure that helps; but does it mean that
something else is wrong? It occurred to me that it might be happening
because the plants aren't buried deeply enough (and so not rotting away
where they should)? Or is it time to replace them?