On Mon, 31 May 2004 06:21:03 GMT, "Warren"
wrote:

I have some black spot breaking out on some of my roses. The roses have
strawberries growing around them.

What's my best course of action? Radical pruning? Some non-toxic spray?
Give up on using the strawberries for food, and use a toxic spray?

There are a variety of rose bushes. Some resistant. Some not. Most have
been there for a long time (before I owned the house). In past years
there was just a little black spot. Hardly anything at all, and I was
able to keep it under control with pruning. I'm not going to say I've
got a horrible outbreak this year, but it's more than in years before,
and I don't want it to get worse.

I'm outside of Portland, OR, and it's been a warm summer, but it's been
cooler and wetter for the last week or so. Summers are usually hot and
dry, but that may be a few more weeks off.

I'd like to be able to eat those strawberries that are around the roses,
and even if they weren't there, I don't really want to go with some
course of action that involves extensive chemical therapy. Nor am I some
organic-at-all-costs person either. I'm looking for a reasonable
solution, all things considered.

TIA


The area around and near the roses should be kept baron to provide as
much air circulation as possible. Pruning will help, and
removing/relocating the strawberries will help. If possible, increase
sunlight available (fungi generally do not like UV rays). Keep water
off the leaves. Prevention of black spot is a lot easier than
eradication, but there are several commercial spray products
available.