Root health depends on several things, but the most important of those factors involves a triangle that can work for you or against you. Soils based on fine particles don't hold enough air at container capacity. Container capacity is the state of water retention in the soil after the soil has been completely saturated and has just stopped draining. Soggy soil kills fine roots. When air returns to the roots, the plant spends energy it shouldn't have to spend to regenerate new roots - so a cycle of death and regeneration develops that's extremely costly to the plant in terms of reserve energy. During the soggy period, roots can't effectively take up water and the nutrients they need, which are dissolved in water. Poor root function often leaves the plant unable to keep distal parts, like leaf tips and margins hydrated, so leaves often develop necrotic areas that spoil the plant's appearance. The 3 sides of that triangle I mentioned are your choice of soil, your watering habits, and your nutritional supplementation regimen. All 3 of these important considerations are firmly linked to the each other and affect the others. If you can get them right, your job suddenly becomes much easier and the rewards for your efforts greater. Your margin for error becomes significantly more forgiving as well. You should be growing in a soil that allows you to water at any time of the year, such that the entire soil mass is completely saturated and at least 15-20% of the total volume of water you used to irrigate passes out of the pot through the drain after complete saturation. Get to that point, and the rest is as easy as choosing and using an appropriate fertilizer regularly. Almost all of the problems (health, appearance, insects, disease) described in this forum are related to poor root health. A plants best protection against disease and insects is a robust metabolism, and the metabolism of a high % of plants are suppressed by poor root health. As below, So above - Healthy roots Are what we love If the link I'll leave below makes sense, I'll link you to another thread that goes into detail about container soils and water retention. Gaining an understanding of the information in that thread probably represents the largest individual step forward a container gardener can make. Without question, it transformed my growing experience. Al Here is a link that might be useful: This one first

I installed a system of underground dripper hose to water each plant. It protects the leaves and gets the water to the roots. You donÂt have to make it permanent if you donÂt have an outlet that can be dedicated. I used a few cinder blocks to build an underground box and placed the snap coupling in that box and covered with a slate slab. I just run the garden hose with the other coupling end, to the box, hook it up and turn it on. You have to watch and test to see that you doesnÂt overdo it. Also, dripper hose needs to be patched and replaced from time to time and its muddy work. Plastic hose connectors can be found at any hardware. I just cut out the bad area and patch it with fresh hose. When the roses are watered, I unhook it and cover it and the entire system is underground and invisible. If you can hook up a permanent connection to a dripper system, itÂs even better. I have seen several professional gardens, such as Hyde Park and Biltmore Estate that use dripper systems with great results. It a good idea to leave part of the hose bare for a while, so you can see the drip rate and adjust the flow. The hose can rest on the ground or just under the topsoil. Slow Slow Slow, is best and I often let it go overnight. I also have valves on sections of the network to adjust different areas. So far so good. Good Luck.

The image sure looks like sun scald to me! Suzi, I'll make a suggestion that can help you prove your neighbor wrong. 'Surround', a kaolin clay spray can be an enormous help in keeping borers, beetles, and sun/heat at bay. It's used commercially, but is now available in sensible sizes for backyard growers. I've used it for years on my cucurbits, beans, and tomatoes without fail. It is approved for organic growers (and Certified Organic growers).

I was going to say look for sawfly larvae on your damaged plants, but they don't bother canes. Any chance deer are coming through and stripping your roses? If so, I'd spray them with a repellent (I've had great success with Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent) and see if the damage stops.