This time of year in cold weather zones you don't deadhead to encourage bloom production because it is too late in the season for this to happen. It is best to prune for the end of the season which means get rid of excessive leggy growth and bad and old canes. The good canes you leave will get thicker and heavier and hopefully will mostly make through the winter and be the basis for the rose next year. New growth begun at this point will likely be killed by the winter.

I saw a Susan Louise at Gregg's garden, and it was not that big - just an upright bush about 7 ft tall by 4-5 feet wide. I bought one, and I must have really insulted it or something. Four years later, it is not growing, and has achieved a total height of about 14 inches, with only one cane, and I think 2 blooms over that period. I have moved it twice - I think the problem was not enough sun - I am spoiled by all of the old roses that grow in my garden in partial shade without complaining. Anyway, It just got planted where it gets much more sun, so I am expecting it to grow next Spring. Not at all like its parent Belle Portugaise, which is at least 15 feet tall, not counting the fact that there are arching canes drooping down from the top of it. I love that rose - the most elegant buds & blooms I have ever seen, and they are translucent & glowing against the sky (which is how you have to look at it - straight up!). Jackie

Mike, Earth Angel is experiencing moving stress. Normal during transition. Let it adjust on its own schedule. No fertilizing or pruning at this time. Let the damaged leaves fall off on their own. Both Frida Kahlo and Earth Angel are showing classic, normal signs of adjusting to their NEW growing conditions. Take it easy. Go with the flow. It takes time. They will do fine. That odd appearing bud is just a casualty of the change, 'collateral damage.' Even on well adjusted, well cared for roses, some buds are just duds, nothing to worry over. Most all buds open nicely, except for a very few. 101 possible reasons exist for those few: too hot, too dry, too cold, too wet, weaker lateral on which he bud formed to begin with, nutrient deficiency.......the list goes on and on. Enjoy your roses, Earth Angel is as personal favorite. I think in time EA, being very new, will rise to the top of the list of great garden roses. Moses

If you don't like a rose you don't need to keep it -- there is no reason to keep a rose that you dislike. However, you do not need to worry about it infecting your other roses with black spot. Black spot is endemic to the Americas so we can't get away from it. Even if you got rid of every rose in your garden it would still be there. I don't think that Belinda's Dream looks bad for a young rose in a pot -- especially a rose in a pot with other plants. They just don't grow as vigorously in a container as they do in the ground, and even then some of them are twiggier and others fuller. If I were you I'd give it a break and take the marigolds out from around it, and treat it to some fish fertilizer this summer. Re: pruning Olivia, I don't think it is necessary. We have ideas about dense growth and fungus that have some validity, but on the other hand the more leaves a rose has the more energy it produces. The more energy it produces, the better its immune system will be. Roses in pots are just inherently stressed (I say that as someone who has about 7/8 of her rose collection in pots). Given how well leafed out Olivia is, if it were mine, I'd leave it. If it grows super dense this year you can prune it next year before it leafs out. Nice plant! :)