Rampant plants may become less vigorous and flower poorly so trim back after flowering from late summer to early autumn. Follow basic pruning principles to keep these useful and hard-working plants in good shape. Use secateurs to completely remove very thin, dead, diseased or dying stems. If stems are thick, cut with loppers. Next, take out branches that are outgrowing their allotted space or ruining the shape of the plant. Continue to improve the shape of the rose by removing about a third of the older stems. Prune flush with the ground. Tie in new, vigorous shoots with garden twine for flowering next year and prune back any sappy growth to encourage flowering the following year. Finish by shortening side shoots by about a third and tie in.