On Sat, 5 Apr 2003 08:41:37 -0500 (EST), in rec.gardens.roses you
wrote:

I planted 10 roses last July. The all did woderfully, producing blooms
through the fall. To put them to bed for the winter, I trimmed them but
not harshly. I pretty much left the canes alone but trimmed back the
green growth and mulched heavily around the root bud. We had a very
harsh winter and all, I mean all of my roses look dead. The canes are
dry looking and some are black. Hwever, every single rose has some new
growth sprouting from the center f the root bud. What do I do?? Is now
the time to trim the canes back severely? I'm in central KY, not sure
what zone. All of my roses were purchased at a local garden center,
they're mostly J&P floribundas, hybrids, climbers, bush roses, etc.
Nothing fancy or expensive

Thanks in advance for any replies and advice

Steve

Steve,

I'm roughly in your area (Nashville).

The new growth is a good thing. Be happy.

Go ahead and take your clippers and start a'trimmin'. Start with any
black canes. Cut any black canes off (at a 45 degree angle). If
there's any green left at the bottom of the cane, try to leave it,
especially if you can identify a budding eye (which will be a future
branch). If you can identify such an eye, cut above it at an angle (a
little less than 1/4 inch). There are all sorts of "rules' about
cutting until you see a white pith in the center of the branch, but
I'd say that for your level of experience, I wouldn't worry too much
about it and I'd focus on the color of the outside of the cane.

Since you have so much winter damage, I'd stick with just getting rid
of discolored stems. Now is also the time to start feeding. If you
review the past few days of postings, you'll read about Mills Mix,
fish emulsion, alfalfa meal, blood meal, Osmocote, epson salts, etc.
Of these, I'd suggest that you definitely want to get some epson
salts, alfalfa meal, fish emulsion and either Mills Mix, Osmocote, or
some other rose fertilizer and scratch them into the soil. Now is the
time to start feeding them and getting their new growth firmed up.

Also, now is the time to amend your soil. Different people suggest
different things, but I use midnight mulch. It looks good and breaks
down nicely. It offers good root protection. You can also add manure
and the like...

finally, now is the time to start your spraying (if you aren't
philosophically opposed to it). If you want to keep it simple, I'd
suggest getting Orthonex and Daconil and alternating them during the
season.

The second and third seasons will really surprise you in terms of how
your roses should advance.

Best of luck in your new future obsession chuckle.

dave