Ramblin' Roses

I've recently moved into a new house, and shortly after I moved in I noticed roses in the front yard. I'm not exactly sure what kind they are, I think they are a sort of Climbing Rose. Maybe a Trailing Rose? Either way they were unkempt and didn't have many blooms. I have killed many a rose bush in my day, and instantly thought "Those are goners." However, one day my mom walked past them, put her good ole' Texas A&M Agronomy education to use and said, "You know if you will trim these to the second five they will do great." The second five??

She explained, after a bloom dies look down the stem and you will notice the leaves grow off the stem in bunches alternating of threes and fives (sometimes you will get even numbers in the mix as well). So walk down the stem and find your first set of five leaves, then keep walking down the stem until you find your second set of five leaves. (You may pass many non-five leaf groupings on your way down the stem. That is okay!) Then trim right above the second set of five!

Now I have such healthy happy roses. I feel empowered and I can tell they are rapidly becoming my babies.

~Sarah