1. If you see translucent windows in the leaves, it's rose slugs, small green worms on the underside of the leaves. Look on the underside and wipe them off. If you are using the "all-in-one" soil drench product, it doesn't really work and is putting unnecessary chemicals in the environment. I think all the experienced growers here would agree. To control blackspot, use a straight fungicide spray such as Bayer Disease Control (tebuconazole) or something containing propiconazole.

2. With manufactured fertilizers, say 6-8 weeks before you expect the roses to stop growing owing to the cold, maybe late August, but this is not a critical issue either way, IMO.

3. Yes, small crowded leaves and blind growth indicate the canes were injured by winter and should have been pruned more.

4. Yes, a 10% milk solution can help, or oil spray, or bicarbonate, or the Bayer fungicide and many others will control PM.

In zone 5a don't fertilize after the beginning of August. Rose slugs usually attack in May and early June. Japanese beetles are munching now. The local nursery recommends chickenwire with the leaves but wait until the ground freezes, probably after Thanksgiving. If you have hardy roses you don't need to winter protect, although chickenwire cylinders will protect from rabbits in the fall and winter. Are you growing any Buck roses?

I fertilize through August 15. You must be at least 30 miles south of me to be in 5A, so usually you have about one more week to fertilize if you wish.

I continue using a foliar feed such as Miracle Gro with my weekly fungicidal spray, through the fall.

You might have leaf cutter bees. I presume you would see Japanese Beetles munching. You can apply an insecticial spray, as needed. I try to avoid doing it weekly, but with the Japanese Beetles the idea I have is to spray them away at the outset as they are social bugs and when there is one, more are on their way. If there are none, or dead ones, they are less likely go show up.

I do not use the Bayer in the soil systemic treatment and cannot comment on its efficacy. I have heard good comments about it, but one obvious problem is adding stuff to the soil that more likely would seep into the groundwater.

Pay particular attention to watering your roses in containers. Pots of any kind, dry out faster than those in the soil. Water stress causes roses to mildew. I read that years ago and didn't believe it. You can force roses to mildew, even when conditions don't favor mildew, by letting them get water stressed. I've done it! Keeping them properly watered so they don't get water stressed with help prevent them from mildewing as badly. It might even help prevent having to use anything on them to rid yourself of the problem. Kim

Adding to what Kim said, as a result of watering potted roses more frequently they will also need extra fertilizing because some of the nutrients will get washed out of the pot. It's sort of a catch 22 situation. Potted roses need very good drainage or they can get root rot easily. So you put in lots of drainage holes. But then you need to water often because of that drainage and the fact that pots dry out quicker. And then you need to feed them more often because of the extra watering and all that good drainage. Vicious circle!

I'm with Michael on the fertilizing. I use to do the stop by September first routine but no one told my roses they were supposed to stop! My roses keep growing and blooming through out October and don't go completely dormant until about Thanksgiving. Some years even into December. And a healthy, well fed rose going into winter is going to do much better than a starved one.

Be very careful to wait until they are completely dormant and the ground is frozen hard before you winterize them. I've had a couple of times when I jumped the gun a little and the bunnies decided to move into my leaf mulch to nest for the winter. With my roses as a smorgasborg!

Don't be afraid to prune HARD in the spring. That seems to be the hardest thing for newbies to do. I know some of the canes still look green coming out of winter and you hate to cut that off but that's the ideal time to do it and you won't hurt the rose. Actually you'll be setting it up for a better season.

I've used all of the home brew remedies for mildew. They will not cure an existing outbreak but they can be effective if used early as a preventive.

I agree with most of what everyone's saying except the part about hard pruning and blind shoots. It depends on the condition of the rose. If it's very healthy, was well-taken care of the previous year and simply suffered winter damage (or even not), then hard pruning is fine.

On the other hand, if you're not totally obsessive about caring for your roses and perhaps you took a year or two off in your care regimen, be careful. Blind shoots still have leaves that can provide needed nourishment to a rose to bring it back - even if those shoots won't bloom. Same for the canes - prune that which is obviously dead, but if it's got early signs of growth, don't cut it back so hard.

Go heavy on the organics early. I'm sold on Magic Mills Mix and use it often - Black Cow in late February and a couple of other times in the year, too - but I put the manure down between the roses, not on them.

I can't say enough about pine bark mulch. Use it frequently by building up a drip ring around each rose. it's OK to place some in the center, too. It helps to further bury the bud union and allows you to bury pruned canes away from the cane borers. I actually think the roses love the pine smell and when it breaks down, it's one of the best organic feedings for them.

Here is some information about growing roses in Northern and Midwest gardens.

http://www.midwestgardentips.com/growing_roses_in_cold_climates.html

http://www.midwestgardentips.com/winter_protect_roses.html