Question
Location near Buffalo, NY. We have planted two dozen rosa ragusa nine years
ago and they are coming along ok. An abundance of large rose hips. Question:
Would plants grow faster if we cut off the hips ? Seems like large amount of
growth is wasted in the hips.
Thank you

Answer
When a Rugosa rose makes a hip then that signals the end of their job because they can now reproduce with the seeds. This may slow them down but the height of a rose bush is genetic which means they are programed to grow to a certain height. Usually most Rugosas if not hybridized with anything else and are near the species, will grow to about 4 feet tall and wide.
If you want to give them an electric type prod, next spring cut them back by about a third and then give them a handful of fertilizer per plant. Pruning will activate the rose to make up the lost growth. Hope this helps