Question
My rose treese still have lots of leaves and branches and even some little bud sites on their branches.  Even though it is January, can I prune them and HOW do I prune a rose tree?  I don't want to take too much off and yet they seem very top heavy for a thin trunk.  Thank You.

Answer
A  rose tree is just a tall stick with a rose bush sitting on the top so you prune the top the same way you would a bush in the ground. Your tree will probably either be a hybrid tea or a floribunda. Never mind the buds and leaves as you can still prune the rose back hard.
If it is a hybrid tea you can prune it more severely than a floribunda. The general rule is to leave all canes about 10 inches from the center of the top or base of the top. Try to even out the canes such as if the tree has more growth on one side then prune that harder than the other sides. First look for the base of the canes you are going to cut and then follow it up to about 10 inches and cut if off there. Never mind how you cut the canes just simply prune it off. Do this all around the top cutting the main canes back to 10 inches. Now look and see if there are any canes that are either dead, diseased or crossing over towards the center plus rubbing against another cane. Cut these back or out. There will be side canes or laterals coming out from the main canes you cut back to 10 inches, these can be pruned back to about 4 inches as that is where the flowers will come from. Stand back and look at the top of your rose tree and check to see if any cane is sticking out as you want to have a rounded look to the top. Again simply snip it back even with the rest. Don't be too concerned if the top looks bare and stubby. Keep in mind that it is a hybrid tea which will put out a lot of new growth in the season.
Pruning a floribunda tree rose is done the same way except only cut the main canes back to 12 inches and the laterals or side growths off them to 6 inches.
All rose trees MUST have a stake to keep them steady or the top can be very easily broken off  by a wind or even by bumping.  Even swaying in the wind, if it doesn't break, will disturb the roots and effect the growing of the top. The stake should be right up and under the base of the top rose and tied in there tight. The next tie should be halfway down the stake and the last tie at the bottom. A mulch placed around the base is another good idea.