Question
Hi...
I moved into a house that has 5 rose bushes in the backyard.  I know nothing about growing roses, and they are growing too tall.  I am not sure what type they are, although they are various colors.  They started as bushes, but I have given them food and sprayed for bugs and I am pleasantly pleased that they are doing so well!
But now that they are growing very tall, I am not sure how to best keep them alive and well.  Should they be pruned back down?  Should I put up a trellis?  
The main shoot, that I am concerned about, is thick and very healthy and has numerous blooms growing on it!
I live in NM, not sure how far Katy, TX is away from Albuquerque...similar climate?
Any help or advice would be MUCH appreciated!Thanks...Denise

Answer
Hi Denise-

These are probably hybrid tea roses.  Usually if they are well taken care of - they get quite tall by the end of summer.  It won't hurt them to give them a little  "haircut" right now, no more than 20-30% of its height or about 2 ft.  This will encourage re-bloom.  However, I don't like to do drastic pruning in the summertime.  What I mean by drastic is pruning to a few inches above the graft union. The reason: heat and water stress.  It is risky to prune drastically because the plant will want to send up new shoots and require lots of water to do so - adding onto the heat and water stress it is already experiencing during the heat of summer.  For this reason I like to save the drastic pruning for winter time - right after the last hard freeze.  If you choose not to prune, you can always put up a trellis.  Another idea I like is to put a 6 ft. metal stake behind the rose and secure it to the stake with heavy-duty string, shoelaces or wire.  Usually the foliage is sufficient to cover the string.  This way when it rains the canes won't bend over to the ground.  The roses I use stakes for in this manner are Joseph's Coat, Don Juan, Buff Beauty, Linda Campbell and Penelope.

Have a great day gardening-

Carlene