Harison's Yellow comes from the Rosa foetida class, which are the origin of
most modern yellow roses. Very cool. It is, as far as I know, a
non-repeater, which often blooms on old wood. If you want to develop new
basal breaks, (canes from the base) old will need to cut back the old wood,
which may limit the bloom for a year.

Unless you don't care if you get any blooms this year, I would wait until
after it blooms this year, so you can get all to blooming possible, then
remove 50% of the old wood, to the ground. The rest I would cut back some,
but keep foliage, so you don't end up with bare sticks! Put some Epson salt
(about 1/4 cup) around the base (soon would be good) to help promote new
basal breaks. Next year, do the same thing, cut back 50 % for the remaining
old wood, until, after several years, you've turned over tall of the canes.

The cut 1/3 stuff is more for hybrid teas. I agree, new


"Richard Harison" wrote in message
...
I have a 17 year old Harison's Yellow which stands about 5' high.
Problem: all the growth is at the top 1' leaving 4' canes, some 3/4"
thick.
I would like to encourage new growth from new canes, so that the plant
appears denser
Some say cut 1/3 or so back to the ground
Some say new canes will not bloom (at least in first year)
Some saw they do not respond well to pruning at all--leave it alone
Most who favor pruning say late winter is the time to do it
Can anyone shed some light on this? Thanks

P.S. You are not seeing things, a am a direct descendant of the rose's
breeder
I know more of its history than cultivation!

--
All the Best,
Richard Harison





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