Well, that was inspirational! A dust in the wind epiphany time.

Are there any words of hope (i.e.-roses tougher than we) that can allay the thought of imminent demise?

We could sing the blues, but as that does not apply to roses.........

I think last year was a remarkably bad year for roses here in PA. I have not been growing roses for very long, but I do remember years in the past when a walk through my roses was a very joyful experience. Last year, what with the horrid late spring freeze, drought and abnormally high populations of thrips and jap beetles, my roses were just pathetic all summer. The good thing about gardening is that there is always next year, and a 'living' garden is always changing.

Harry, I love hearing from you on the forum, so I am glad you will be keeping at least some of your roses. I lurk more than I post, but I always look forward to your posts because your experiences would be very similar to mine.

Lois in PA

Harry, I know where you are coming from. I decided I am only going to keep my very favorites, and those that I like that are resistant to pests and diseases. For me that's most of the Bermuda Mystery roses and some of the chinas and teas. Not all the teas look good. Archduke Joseph, Madame Lombard, Smith's Parish, Emmie Grey, good old Louis, and Mrs BR Cant are definitely keepers. Some of my plants waiting in pots look deplorable and others look pristine. Guess which ones will go in the ground. I've been ill for the past couple of months (nothing life threatening), and the neglect sure has weeded out the keepers. I am adding in other nice shrubs and plants that are easy care and that I like, to enhance the rose bushes.

Sandy

So, how many early yellows are you game for?

Yeah, try some once-bloomers and be patient while they develop.

Harry,
I know from your previous posts that you've had a frustrating year, but I want you to know how much I have enjoyed the pics of your beautiful roses. Let's hope that the coming year is more favorable for your roses so that you don't have to eliminate all or most of them, but I know what you mean about too much being too much. You are wise enough to know what you can handle--but leave a little room in there for the possibility of a better growing season coming. If you do have to get rid of more of them, I will be interested in hearing which ones you decide to keep--they must be truly special, under the circumstances.

Kate

I completely understand.....broke my kneecap, have been limping around since November. Then my 81 yr. old mom in another town had surgery, has alzeiheimers and I have full responsibility - thank goodness for full time sitters! But have been run ragged - and with 60 miniature horses and a farm to care for. I am reducing the horses - not enough sense to quit buying roses. Just bought 3 today at Home Depot - got them planted. "Less is more" and "Moderation in all things" sounds really good - I wish I could adhere to it. But time changes everything. 2 months ago I wasnt hurt and was going full tilt. Now things are completely different. I am going to mostly own root roses, going to mulch heavily and water deeply. Here in Texas, we dont have so much trouble with beetles - mostly blackspot and one must keep up with the watering. Good luck with your decisions Harry, I always enjoy your posts and photos! We can all manuver our lives for our own benefit if we give it thought and work at it.....
Judith

harryshoe...i commend you for your descision! as an "aging" rosarian myself..these are things we all have to decide..don't look at it as a loss..look at it as a step to being able to "sit" for a few minutes every day to actually enjoy you roses! i think that many of us are so busy working in our gardens that we don't take the time to sit and really enjoy ourselves.
there is also the option of asking for help..if you can afford a neighborhood kid..you'd be surprised how much they can actually do in a few hours..and you'd be cultivating the next generation of rosarians!
whatever you decide..good for you..and enjoy your roses..donna

Harry, I do not think this is to do with age, as I believe you are still gainfully employed, if I remember you were talking about retirement. Retirees are very young these days, that is what I like to think. I feely it ayway. Though I retired earlier, I became the official age this year. Is that the same in the US, 65yrs. I am so enjoying life and retirement, emensely.

I have felt terribly sorry about those JBs that have been destroying your roses, no wonder you are losing heart. We are so fortunate not to have them here. They sound very gross. Our biggest nuisance is black spot, big time.

Howeever, I just want to wish you good luck in your decisions! Are you SURE, you do not want to try another season with these roses. Who knows, the JBs may not be so prevailant this coming season! I really hope not.
\

Japanese Beetles - Humm (knock on wood). I didn't have the problems with JBs as others in Eastern and Central PA last year. Oh, I had beetles, but not to the point where they destroyed all my blooms on all my roses. I still had a lot of roses to cut and bring in the house.

I have Milky Spore down for a couple of years. I had read somewhere that milky spore doesn't work. I guess to each their own and it makes me question those "experts". I still will get some beetles because I live out in the middle of fields and the farmers don't put milky spore on their fields.

Then there's the drought. Droughts are hard on plants, but it also will harden the soil to the point where the female beetles find it hard to penetrate and lay their eggs.

Because of my water situation here, I don't water except for the very new plants to get their root systems started. The others are on their own. Unless the drought gets extremely dry, my plants don't seem to suffer. I keep rain drums positioned around the house for watering pot plants and any other plants that do seem to suffer from droughts.

I will also feed a select few the Bayer triple systemic and the rest will get the Bayer double systemic about once a month and that also seems to help with the black spot and insects. My white roses that seem to have a problem with thrips will get the triple systemic and that helps with thrips.

I want to be able to enjoy my roses and other plants. That's why I have them. But I'm not going to break my back out there every day trying to keep every bug, every bit of disease from them. If that were the case than I'd live in a tiny third story appartment without even a balcony. I let Mother Nature handle most of the work and I will occasionally help out with spray, systemics but mostly food.

I have found that keeping my roses well fed is a key to helping them with the disease and insect problems. A good organic food once a month will keep them much more healthy than any spray for fungus or insects. Besides, spray for insects will also kill insects I don't want to kill. I'm not big for poison of any kind. I have found that to let those few mice and other pests in the garden, they don't generally become a problem. Others will gladly come into the garden temporarily to help out with the pests.

I must be doing something right. My garden is a traffic stopper.

A realist here. When you battle thrips, japanese beetles and RRD, it becomes a task and a disappointment. I'm taking out a couple bushes myself. We know there are some good ones, we need to grow those I suppose. I'm bad about trying roses or keeping those that have BS because they are so pretty. The only real good time here is spring and fall, once the droves of beetles appear, I lose interest. I really don't see how some people do it all themselves. Just the feeding and pruning can be daunting. My reason is I love my roses. It's been said so many times before that we need to enjoy our garden. Harry, I know you will make a smart decision.

Carla

It was warm (mid 40's) yesterday and Harry went out to do the dirty deeds. 'worked hard enough to break my shovel! My steel shovel no less.

I ended up doing more transplanting than killing. Moved some that were sending canes over the brick walk. Final score for the day: 4 transplanted; 2 executions. There will be more bloodshed, however. At least 5 must go.

One interesting discovery was the depth of my roses. Years of piling on mulch, etc. has left them 8" under. All had gone "own root" to some extent.

Harry, you poor darling!!! I know exactly how you are feeling. My husband and I worked all weekend in the rose beds. I am recovering from a nasty case of Listeria that my beloved roses gave me last weekend. Not the stomach ailments, but the fingers swelling like sausages and arms torn to bits from pruning roses....and I wore gloves no less!! So....I am on a month worths of antibiotics...didn't have to have my wedding rings cut off..Thank the Lord. But I was sitting for a minute on the porch thinking that I had 250 roses....and planning a trip to Tallahassee on the 16th for the GoodWood Plantation OGR rose sale. I must be bonkers!!! It is a never ending struggle fighting this nut grass that has invaded all my rose beds...the front yard of grass my husband loves and into the back yard.
I can handle the blackspot..I don't demand perfection. But the grass in the rose beds. It is driving me crazy. I think we will start spraying roundup in the beds with me shielding the roses and daylilies with cardboard. Pulling it up isn't doing a thing, it just keeps coming back regardless of the depth of mulch. I hate nut grass.

I have so enjoyed your rose pictures too. I always admired your clean rose beds. Didn't you tell me once you used roundup on the edges of your rose beds?

Deb

Deb, coffee cans with the bottom cut out make good shields when using Roundup. I use them when spraying bindweed. I leave them in place until they dry so herbicide does not drip when I move them.

Harry, good luck reducing the work load. Wish I could figure out a way to stop Deb from adding roses here. Digging them up is not an option here. You would think they were her children :) We didn't get any new ones last year. There is hope.

Harry, I'm right there with you! I started my down sizing last summer/fall. Out went MIP, Reichtspresident Von Hindenberg and Compt de Chambord. I'm planning on getting rid of a few more this spring. I am also planning on not spraying anything anymore. First, I do not have time, second, I'm afraid I may be leaving behind dangerous residue for my precious Splash, Australian Shepherd and third, eventhough I take all the precautions with a mask, goggles and long sleeves,pants (that's why I don't spray in the heat), there are still exposed areas on your body that get doused. And, yes, I shower afterward.

I have plans to fill in the holes with shrubs (not roses) and perennials. And if a rose refuses to bloom because of midge-OUT IT GOES!

Good luck, and happy gardening (it's supposed to be fun remember).

Barbara

Thanks Dave for that tip about the coffee cans!!! That is a brillant idea...I have lots of coffee cans for some unknown reason. I knew one day they would come in handy..lol

Deb

Glad I could help Deb :) It is no use, in fact counterproductive, to pull bindweed. Seems like 2 come up for every one weeded. I have a half dozen (or more) cans that I set over the weeds. I spray it and let it dry. Move them to another spot later. Visitors ask about the cans sitting in the alyssum. They love it when I show them what I'm doing. The cans sitting there remind me the next day to continue 'weeding' too. I need the reminder the older I get :) It only takes a couple weeks of that to knock the weeds down in spring.