the greastest polluters on the face of the earth.. are the homeowners who spew fertilizers and chemicals... during inappropriate use ... not according to labels.. or based on mass marketing .... these plants have done just peachy for 90 years .... she has a greater chance of harming them with improper fertilizers or chemicals.. than if she jsut left them alone .. all that said.. my comment was a bit overbroad... start with an ID .. AND A SOIL TEST .... if anything is lacking from the soil .. act accordingly ... once you ID the problem.. take action accordingly ... good luck ken ps: ... my first house was a 60 year old house.. i was all into saving the historical plants .. what a nightmare.. the happiest day of my life at that house.. was the day i got rid of the last nightmare ... please dont live with the prior owners nightmares.. trust me.. you have better things to do ... i woulndt be surprised if you find a couple million seedlings covering the yard ... there are probably better ROS that are sterile... or better plants consistent with the historical period of your new house ...

I also grow "Zephy". Bought it a cheep ($2.50) body bag 3 yrs ago. No problems at all with any disease. 1st yr it just grew long canes. No flowers. Last yr it threw off LONG canes and it covered itself with pink blooms. Last summer it threw off a bunch of long canes. At the present time it is a huge monster waiting to bloom. My neighbors are waiting also. They remember what it looked like last year. It will need a large area and a good strong support. I tried using plastic lattes to support. It is so big and heavy it tore it right down this past fall. And that was without any blooms on it. I've redone the support with 2x4's and 3/4" plywood cut to size and long heavy duty screws. Can't wait for this spring. Anyway, for me it is the perfect climber. Stick it in a decent hole in the ground, and get out of the way.

Plant disease are soil related, so what is the soil you are growing these roses in like? When was the last soil test done and what did it show? What is the level of humus in your soil? How well does that soil drain? How well does that soil retain moisture? What kind of soil life does the soil have? Check with your local office of the Universtiy of Vermont USDA Cooperative Extension Service about haveing a good, reliable soil test done for base nutrient and soil pH levels and then dig in with these simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. to see what you have and get more help in what you need to do to make a good, healthy soil that will grow strong and healthy plants. Here is a link that might be useful: UV CES

Some roses get fungal disease because they are not getting enough water. The roots of your rose were root bound, and then just got cut, so it needs to grow new roots. Meantime, you can help it by making sure to keep it watered more than usual. This may help the fungal disease in time, once the rose is has enough roots and is growing. If not, you can always spray for the fungal disease, but I would NOT do that now, because the rose is trying to recuperate. WAIT! Patience is a virtue. Jackie