I have a couple of very old climbing rose bushes and both of them have problems. One has a bad case of black-spot and the other has some sort of powdery mildew. So I would like to do some heavy trimming (especially on the black-spot one) to get off all the diseased branches but I heard that you should not trim too close to fall/winter because the roses need to stop blooming and start getting ready for winter. Should I just leave them be and wait until spring?

Thanks!

HI AngelFaery The best time to prune roses is the early fall or early spring.But in my opinion for your (GROWING ZONE) it would be best to prune them in the early spring.however i would remove all the leaves that have black spot on them by hand and rake up any that have fallen off and discard them into the trash.if they are heavily infested you may have to incorporate severe pruning with a fungicidal spray program.spray with a fungicidal spray made for black spot and other diseases.if you do decide to prune them it might damage the plants even further.but if you decide to prune them make sure you seal all the pruned stalks with candle wax this will lessen the damage that may be caused by pruning them now.if you decided to prune them cut any infested and damaged branches out.cut your roses back to a nice looking shape don't cut them back to heavy just enough to get past the diseased portion.a light pruning is all that is required for climbing roses leave all the main branches as long as possible also trim branches in the center of the plant so more air can circulate it will help make your roses healthy and help prevent mildew.mulch them down with a good layer of pine straw.only water them in the morning time during the growing season.here is a of site that will help you on pruning your climbing roses.
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/pruningroses.htm
hope this helps your friend in gardening.mike57

* * * *

No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent.

Thanks for all the advice! I will do as you say and just pick off the leaves.

Thanks!

I'm pretty new at gardening outside the veggie patch, but have recently discovered some beautiful plant life called FLOWERS! In fact, we bought a house, & a normal yard came with it... & in that yard there were 21 rose bushes (4 varieties)! All I can tell you about your rose problems, is I've learned this year & what has worked for me.

I ran across a product called VF-11 Plant Food, & this is what it says about roses:
"You will be so pleased with the abundance
of blooms!! Foliar Feed your roses once a week
Hose-end sprayer is ideal...one ounce VF-11 to a gallon water. Morning sun is ideal time to spray roses. If you keep up this routine, on a weekly basis, you will have another lovely surprise.... no aphids and no mildew!!!! Let me explain why....VF-11 builds so much strength and health that plant cells 'harden' and 'seal in' the amino acids which aphids feed on. You have merely eliminated their food supply. And you have done it without the use of poisonous systemic or pesticides. Pretty nice...huh? And mildew is eliminated because VF-11 changes the pH and creates a condition where mildew can not grow."

I tried this stuff, & LOVE IT! So far, everything it claims to do, IT HAS DONE! I've used it on all my roses for Black Spot, aphid & powdery mildew with success that I hadn't achieved with any other applications. I even accepted a potted rose from a friend (like I NEED another rose bush! )& it had black spot BAD - nearly EVERY leaf! I almost stripped the bush bare; took it out of the pot (threw the dirt & the pot in the trash to be taken to the dump); ruthlessly washed the roots (thinking that I might shock it to death, but that's only 1 step away from black spot anyway, in my view!); sprayed the roots with undiluted VH-11 (It also claims to be a substitute for Root-Tone); & re-potted it. I sprayed & watered it with VF-11 (ONLY) for about 2 weeks, then sat back & watched it become the healthiest rose bush I have!

I don't believe it makes sense to rely on ANY application to fight Black Spot without first stripping off EVERY infected leaf, AND thoroughly removing any fallen leaves/bark/twigs from under the bush! (I use my shop vac.) Otherwise, your time & money are about as effective as shoveling snow in a blizzard! Another thing I've learned about rose bushes, as Mike57 mentioned, is that they do need good circulation throughout, so don't let them get too bushy in the middle. (Maybe you aren't supposed to, but I cut mine back where they start touching the house [keeps bugs outdoors where they belong] & when they start getting too full... They don't seem to mind the trim, at all!)

* * * *

SOOOOO Glad I read this section can Eleanor VF-11 plant food be bought in most nurserys???

* * * *


Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
http://photobucket.com/albums/e374/2thtek/

Wow! Thanks for the info! I will definately look into VH-11!

21 rose bushes?!! And I thought I was going crazy with just 3!!