wl> It's your's... but if you are cutting your bush back, why would
 wl> you want to leave it?  It isn't productive to the bush,  but only
You specifically DON'T want to leave it, and they are counter-productive
to the bush.  They take energy to form that the bush could better use for
growth.
 wl> to the production of the *rose hip*...  not at all bad for you, but
 wl> the bush could care less ...   :)   Sometime before spring
The bush is just trying to go to seed for the next genertion, but
unless you are a hybridizer that's not wanted.
 wl> flowering, you will want to cut that stem off anyway... so
 wl> unless you are wishing to produce 'hips', I say *cut it*!
That's the best thing you can do for your rose, cut the flowers for the
house.  It promotes more growth.  If you don't do that then, you need
to do it later as "dead-heading".
... Q:What must I do to convince you people?    Worf:Die.
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