How do you prune a rose bush?

My boyfriend just got a new house; I don't live with him but I tend to the flowers. There are rose bushes that were already there that we would like to keep. The only problem it that they look as if no one has pruned them since they were planted. I have never pruned rose bushes and would appreciate any help in the matter.

How do you prune a rose bush?
Wait until late winter, early spring, then take clippers to all the limbs so when you are finished, none of the bush is taller than 12-18 inches.





If they are unkempt, in the spring when it starts to grow back, look for leachers which will have wild red roses....you should clip those off as far to the plant as you can.





All roses come from one variety and have other varieties grafted on to them. If the wild rose is allowed to grow, it saps all the energy from the graft rose and takes over.
Reply:Pruning should be done in late winter/early spring, so that you can enjoy wonderful flowers in summer, as the bushes receive plenty of sun. By pruning them you will get rid of the frost and dead, and according to P. Allen Smith, a master in the garden field, it will allow your bushes to come out of a dormant period. For better and more accurate responses to your question, visit the link below, where you will find answers to this and other questions on roses and gardening. Good luck!
Reply:First of all trim all dead branches as close to the main stalks as possible. Next trim all dead or dying blooms down tothe first set of three leaves on the stem. If they are truly way over grown cut them all the way down to within 18 inches of the ground . Don't worry fertilize them and they will grow very well.
Reply:Roses generally bloom in summer but should be pruned late winter/early spring just as the buds appear. This can vary from late January to March depending on the area of the country you are in. Prune too early and you will cause early growth that is vulnerable to frost damage. Prune too late and you will waste energy the plant already put into making the buds and leaves you remove. The best time is after the last frost when buds are beginning to swell.