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Holy cow that is a monster!!! Is it a climber or bush type? I'd probably still take back all the old canes to a desired height, cut out any old dead wood and then just manage the new growth over the next few seasons. I'd also probably use a pruning sealant as those will be some massive cuts! Have fun!
Gonna use a chain saw?
lol I gotta do something. The poor thing is so over grown and top heavy that if its not tied up it falls over on itself... I have a really nice pare of large clippers, but I'm not so sure that even those are heavy enough to cut through the thickest stalk... I have already taken off the obviously dead wood, but have been afraid to cut back much of the living, as I have NO clue how far to take it back. Do I prune it like a tree and only remove 30%, or can I do a more drastic pruning and remove 1/2 or more...?
Can you tell I have no clue what to do with this rose? lol I had someone that I thought I had hired. Paid them and everything, and they never once touched this rose. But every year I get blooms. All through spring, and into late fall. This plant was still budding out flowers in late december of this past year. Very pretty, medium sized, pink roses. The humming birds LOVE them for some reason.
Also I am not sure if this is supposed to be a bush or a climber... It has nothing to climb onto, so I am guessing it suposed to be a bush, but really its more like a small rose tree.
I would dig it up and put it where it can climb on something. Maybe put it next to the deck. It is still dormant now. It should do just fine.
Alternatively, you can build some kind of gazebo around it, or tarin it to grow on a fence or something. It is no use having to drastically prune it a few times over the growing season. If it is a climber, let it climb.