"John" wrote in message
news:HuH8c.93454$_w.1252532@attbi_s53...
Been using Bayer Rose and Flower bug killer for my roses. I've got worms,
aphids and white flys. The aphids don't seem to want to go away... should
I
just continue weekly administrations or more frequent? Also some of the
leaves have black areas on them? what could this be?
One more question, what is the consensus regarding watering roses? I live
in
Southern Ca.
Thanks

--
"Cheap work isn't good and good work isn't cheap"



If you are talking about the combination fertilizer and insecticide
containing disyston, then that is some very dangerous stuff. It's a lot
more dangerous to you the person than it ever will be to any insects. It
translocates poorly into the new plant tissue, which is where the bugs tend
to eat--like the aphids you are experiencing. Get a pair of 99c nylon
footies from the grocery and fill one up with a bit of flour. Shake it over
the apids and leave it for about an hour. Go back and rinse it off. The
apids will be dead dead dead. You can also just rinse them off with a
strong blast from the hose, but I find it much more satisfying to actually
kill the buggers. The black edges on your leaves is probably due to the
apids sucking out the juices and dehydrating them. Or, if these are new
bare roots that haven't quite established themselves, then they are probably
experiencing a bit of dehydration because the roots haven't kept pace with
the foliage. If you are talking black spots, then it could be from a number
of fungal disease from anthracnose, which is prevalent in cool moist
weather, to black spot, which is prevalent in warm moist weather.
Identifying which disease you are experiencing will let you know which
control to use to prevent it. Disease in roses can't be cured. You have to
prevent it before it starts. It can be *stopped*, but that leaf will never
be healthy again.

I'm afraid I don't exactly understand your watering question. It's very
very hard to overwater a rose unless you have 100% clay soil and it's just
rained. More water is usually better.