'Fourth of July' is fine here (we're cooler, I bet) but I do see scattered signs of blackspot on some of the oddest things. I'm sure those leaves will go. Then they will be replaced.

I have NOT, surprisingly enough, seen any hint of it on Grandmother's Hat or Golden Celebration -- or even Secret Garden Musk Climber -- the three roses that usually get touched by it in unusually wet conditions here.

I guess life is just full of surprises. :-)

Jeri

We've actually had some strange bacterial disease here. I have sent samples off to a lab to have them tested. Kills roses from the tops down -- you get a sudden wilt and immediate die back from it. I've lost three otherwise healthy roses to it, and it doesn't seem to spread (much) but it sure is weird. I was thinking fire blight at first, but that has now been ruled out.

I have it and two other friends in coastal San Diego have seen it.

hoov, sorry about the blackspot, now you know what we easterners deal with! Just be thankful it's not Japanese Beetles.

We haven't had a lot of rain, unfortunately, so the BS isn't that bad, but the powdery mildew is off the chain here. My poor Veilchenblau is trying to bloom through it.

Now if the blackspot lasts all season, and you guys could get the occasional ice storm, cane-killing winter, hurricane, etc., that would be only fair. "Danged Californians" used to be a catchphrase on this board when somebody showed an absurdly oversized bush in full bloom.

Lol, I concur with Michael! We battle BS continually and on top of that we lose so much of our roses every year to winter die back that it's down right disheartening. I see those enormous California bushes covered in blooms and have to pinch myself to remember I have less than half your growing season and can't expect mine to look like that!

I do sympathize with you though, hoov. It's a nasty pain in the butt that makes the roses look miserable. Try and close your eyes to the leaves (or lack there of) and just enjoy the blooms.

Kathy, that certainly doesn't sound like BS. That always starts at the bottom and works its way up. Let us know what you find out for the lab. I hate to think there is something else out there attacking the roses but forewarned is forearmed!

Yes, matter of fact SGMC is a mess, too. :(

Just be thankful it's not Japanese Beetles.

Oh Lord Yes! Thanks for the reminder!

michaelg, all I can say is:

{{gwi:261410}}

Yep.....the alternate-universe theory continues to apply.

We have been as arid as Arizona for the last 2 months. It's been spectacular for inhibiting blackspot, but I'm drinking water by the gallons and going through moisturizer like I own stock in the company. Normally by this time of year I've started running the dehumidifier in the basement to keep the tile floors free of condensed water. No need; the air is still static-charged and we're all still getting zinged on file cabinets at work.

Ah, Hoov,we southeasterners love your garden.

hoovb--that photo--that's exactly what we mean by "an absurdly oversized bush in full bloom," as michaelg put it.

All I can say is "danged Californians!"

But truly I do sympathize with the other problems your area is experiencing.

No Japanese Beetles--always a good thought to keep in mind!

Kate

What's nutty is that here in Sacramento we sure can lose a rose to a one-two punch of bs and aphids. I remember my dad finally giving up on the four we had out front when I was 6 or so. But in that case it's certainly the wrong rose for the location.

And I just lost half the leaves on my brand-new Daybreaker so I'm trying to think positive. I only really have to worry about this year- other people go through this all the time!

I would like to go on record saying that I think it is wonderful that the Californian's have their amazing roses...as long as they keep their earthquakes, fires and landslides along with them!

Just think of the roses as compensation. :-D

There you go, subk--I can second that notion! LOL

Kate

Lol, that photo was a perfect answer, hoov! Just gorgeous!

I live in the mountains of northern California, so I don't share the same Californian experience that makes most people drool ! I also have a completely different set of problems to deal with up here. I started my rose life in "Rose Heaven" near San Diego, so I know what I am missing ... lol.

Hoov, as I have learned to garden in this climate, I have found that bs caused by a wet spring is actually not a major problem because the roses re-foliate fairly quickly and then are clean once the heat hits.

However, I have decided that if a rose doesn't re-foliate quickly enough to handle the heat of summer, it's the wrong rose for this garden because we always have wet springs. I am growing a couple of the roses you mentioned in your post, and they have always come back just fine and are disease free for the rest of the season.

Smiles,
Lyn

That is a magnificent rose, to be sure.

Hi Patricia - nice to see one of your posts again! I'm back causing trouble around here ... for awhile, at least. ;-)

Hey...Earthquakes are fun. Most are small and when the jolt wakes you up, you look to see which direction the objects are shaking. Then you get up and orient yourself in that direction so you can get ready to ride the wave as it rolls under your feet/ house/ garden/ wherever you might be. Stay away from bricks and glass just in case. Most annoying thing was one quake made the doorways a little off but another one came along later and put it right again. I remember being out in the neighbor's garden and suddenly the wooden patio cover is rocking back and forth and all the wind chimes are going like mad. Usually they sneak up on us early in the morning when the soil is cool.

kstrong, I just lost a white rose to a mysterious cause very fast and just as you described. I never saw anything like that. It looked so healthy with new growth and had been fantastic last year. I don't have critters who would eat the roots and I was going to dig it up and have a look. The rose next to it is just fine. It happened during the rainy period a little while back. I was hoping the roots were ok but now I wonder.

I guess I would choose earthquakes over Japanese beetles. But, earthquakes are the scariest thing I have ever experienced--certainly not fun for me. I have only felt one since moving to the Sacramento area. When I was very young and first moved to California, we had a rather scary earthquake when I lived in San Francisco. It was during the time when people said California was going to break off into the sea. I called my mother (in NY) in the middle of the night to say goodbye to her!
We are now having rain and I am worried about finding lots of rust and bs when it is over. It is a spring only phenomena here. But there has been the start of powdery mildew, too. Roses have so many pests and fungi! I don't think I would grow them in BS or Japanese beetle area. I really admire you folks who keep on growing them despite major obstacles.

I don't think I would grow them in BS or Japanese beetle area. I really admire you folks who keep on growing them despite major obstacles.

Ditto!

California can't break off into the sea. The lower edge is part of the plate that is connected to the ocean and is moving north toward Oregon. It gets stuck and then breaks free again causing the quakes. I know many people who feel afraid when they happen. I hope we never get a tsunami like Japan did.

Having been born and raised in California, earthquakes don't bother me much. A few years back we had a family reunion in Kansas and I thought it was pretty funny that the relatives from Kansas were all telling us how scary the earthquakes must be while all us Californians were worrying about tornadoes. I'd take earthquakes, fires and landslides over tornadoes or hurricanes any day!

I think that most people are more comfortable with the natural disasters that they grew up with, but everybody has something to worry about, right? California will get a massive tsunami eventually, it's just a matter of time. In fact, there is a chunk of Hawaii that will fall into the ocean someday and trigger a mega tsunami that will threaten the entire West Coast. There is a similar situation with one of the Canary Islands that will someday threaten the entire East Coast. I think you would be hard pressed to find a place anywhere that doesn't have some sort of threat looming over it. That's why it's important to not worry about that sort of thing, just take every day as it comes and enjoy the beauty (and roses) that life brings your way.

I went out today after that rain yesterday and botritis was everywhere. I spent the day clipping off blooms and cleaning up under bushes. What a yucky mess. I have never seen anything like it. I think the heat spell, then the cool rain, then another hot day gave it perfect growing conditions.
Renee

I've had a lot of botritis. And moldy balling blooms too. It's the cold/wet weather then it gets hot then cold again. Yesh!!!!!

{{gwi:261412}}

I've had more blackspot than normal in NW Ohio as well. I also suspect it's the abnormal spring conditions of being very warm, pumping out a lot of new growth, then going cool promoting adverse conditions, then shocks of near freezing conditions. It was low 30s overnight last night...Thursday it's supposed to be 85 and I think that's the end of the "cold".

I've lived in many states over the years and have gone through hurricanes, floods, tornados etc. The worst was when I lived in California and went through a lethal earthquake. When our house started shaking last year I knew what it was. Yup, Oklahoma had just experienced an earthquake, followed up by at least 2 more over the next few months. Our weather made the national news last year for record breaking heat, cold, tornados, drought etc. only to be capped off with earthquakes. Hey, you people that don't mind them in California can have them back....And on the subject of B.S. and roses, Day Breaker had real problems with B.S. in our climate. Had to be sprayed consistantly. It's gone now (also didn't like our hot summers).....Maryl

'Day Breaker' has fantastic continuous and generous repeat, but the disease resistance is--zero. Too bad.

Well the ones that have defoliated are already leafing out again. I think our rain is done for the season. Now it's time to talk about drought again. :(