Question
I live in northeast Ohio and have around 20 rose bushes which the previous owner had planted. When I moved to the house 5 years ago, almost all the bushes regularly produced flowers. For last 2-3 years, some of them have completely stopped any flowers even though they look healthy. Now out of 20 bushes, may be 2-3 produce flowers. Do the rose bushes produce flowers only for certain number of years? I love roses but not sure what to do at his point.
What's the best time to prune them and how? Thanks
Ajit

Answer
Roses should produce flowers, as they have been bred to, for
20 plus years. Some rose bushes do not bloom very well and there is nothing you can do about it as it is in the breeding. However as you have said, yours have bloomed well before. Making flowers does take the most energy in a plant and roses are no exception. If they are making good leaves and canes type of growth, then it sounds like they are only lacking the nutrients needed for blooming. Potassium is what a rose wants for flowers. That is the middle number of any fertilizer. Also you may be giving the plants too much nitrogen as that encourages lots of greenery but not flowers. Roses only make blooms to repeat themselves so you need to be a little unkind to them which should push them into making flowers.
Next spring don't fertilize at all until after the first flush then use one that is low in nitrogen and high in potassium something like 6-12-8. There is another thought that has come to mind. Squirrels just love rose buds and do do rabbits. Hope this helps.