Question
QUESTION: Hi Lynnette,

As a background: I have virtually no experience with roses (and none with pruning), but I love roses and am looking forward to growing them.  I live on the West Coast of BC, Canada... which should be a warm environment by June but somebody forgot to notify the weather station this year.  ; - )

I have some roses that I've transplanted into pots, and when a storm blew open the garden gate, the deer got in and ate all the leaves on one of the big plants... only 3 tiny leaves survived on the end of branches.  And the rose is budding, trying to open 3 flowers.

Many others have lost half their leaves or more.

I'm wondering if, to save the big plant, I should prune the poor thing back so it isn't trying to survive via the flowers?  If so, how far?  And should I do this with the half-eaten ones as well?

I really appreciate your taking the time to help out with this!

With Blessings,

erin

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ANSWER: Roses are capable of growing three new sets of leaves before it effects their vigour, so your roses will put out new growth. If you want to you can cut the big rose back by a third, but it really isn't necessary. All that will do is delay the flowering by a few weeks. I would leave h smaller roses alone. Your roses may look tatty but they won't die only just take time to look normal again.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi again Lynnette,

I wanted to check in with you again.  I've been watching the roses to see if there are new leaves coming, and nothing has grown.  This has been at least 2 months... does it just take longer, or is there maybe something I should be adding to the soil to help it, or...?

Thanks again for your help!

With Blessings,

erin

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Answer
Usually if the rose was doing well before the deer pruned it, then normally it will take a couple of weeks before you see new growth such as leaves which come first. I think what has happened is that the rose has gone into dormancy. Let me explain. When rose growers want to move a rose when it is growing, they first cut it back and then take all the leaves off as this puts the rose into a dormant period and it stops growing for a few weeks. Then they move it as if it was dormant, same as the fall or early spring and this has been found to be very successful. I too garden on the west coast and had a LARGE doe got into my yard when I too left the gate open. She only ate about 6 roses but two of them are sulking and have not started to grow again and that was 3 weeks ago. I assumed she had shocked them into a dormant period. You normally can not kill a mature rose but pruning it hard so your rose is still alive. Always view deer as experienced rose pruners.