Question
We have had this bush for about ten years. Originally it would flower heavily once and then grow stems for the rest of the year. For the past 2 years we get stems only. Can we do anything to correct this?

Thank you  

Answer
There are a couple of reasons that your rose may not be flowering. One is that the canes are now old and need a hard pruning down to about 18 inches. The other is that you are being too kind to the rose with a lot of fertilizer. Rose fertilizer, on the whole, has too much nitrogen in it and if you are generous with it, then all you will get is new growth. I would stop all fertilization until next year. Just continue watering that's all. This will activate the rose to flower not make new growth. Next year, again no nitrogen, but give it a fertilizer for tomatoes that is high in what you want to make flowers. Just follow the directions for mature tomato plants,