Question
We live in Columbia, MO and have a rose bush that, for sentimental reasons, we took with us the last two times we've changed houses.  I don't know what variety it is except that the blooms are purple.  It bloomed fine at the first house (9 years ago), but ever since then has not bloomed.  My husband insists that it must be a climber and that the branches need to be horizontal to produce blooms.  But, as I said, it bloomed just fine the first few years we had it.  My husband pruned it this spring and it is already huge.  But still no blooms.  What's wrong??? Did the moves damage it somehow? We do have it planted next to a trellis now and have woven the branches in the lattice work in hopes that that will solve the problem.  I am skeptical.

Answer
If you are getting long, strong canes on your rose, then it is probably a climber. All climbing roses will take at least three years to settle into a new location. They make a lot of canes and leaves but have no energy left to make flowers. Also the rose may make the flowers on last years wood. This is the way some roses bloom, so pruning the rose will cut off this years flower buds. Don't prune the rose anymore, don't fertilize it, as that only encourages new growth. Also pull back and water only weekly. This will slow the growth down, puts the rose under stress, which makes it think it is going to die and so it produces flowers to make the seed hips. When you are too kind to a rose you only encourage growth. Making flowers takes the most energy in a rose. Transplanting the rose has made it start from the beginning again and that is why it is taking so long to flower.