Well, you have started a controversial thread. Every time this topic comes up, opinions (and hot tempers) start flying in every direction. First off, most posters on this forum (or so I would guess) do not think the cornmeal treatment for BS is effective at all. Secondly, there seems to be some confusion above whether we are talking about insecticides or fungicides. Insecticides kill bugs; FUNGICIDES DO NOT! Fungicides are for treating DISEASES (NOT INSECTS). A lot of us here rarely or never use insecticides. There are other ways of treating most bug problems (though nobody knows how to treat the Japanese Beetle). Those Bayer products that are advertised as 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 or some such "combo" should be avoided--they have INSECTICIDES in them. If you want an effective FUNGICIDE for disease, (NOT an INSECTICIDE to kill bugs), Bayer puts out a product called Bayer Garden Disease Control of Roses, Flowers, and Shrubs--if you are going to spray, I recommend it. If your only problem is a couple BS leaves on a couple potted plants, I would not spray--just go over and yank off the BS leaves and dispose of them in a trash bag. If you have a widespread and persistent enough problem with BS throughout the garden, then you have basically two choices. (1) Spray using the Bayer fungicide (but NEVER the Bayer "combo" products); OR (2) toss all your bs-susceptible roses and start researching for BS-resistant roses to replace them. If you do spray with a fungicide, read the directions first. They list some precautions and give helpful advice. For instance, spray earlier in the morning on a wind-less day (so that the wind won't blow fungicide in your face.) While it is not listed as dangerous to kids and pets out of the yard, as a precaution you may want to keep them out of the yard until all the fungicide has dried. Again, read the label carefully--they list the kinds of critters that may be affected by Bayer Garden Disease Control for Roses, Flowers, Shrubs. Of course, if you ignore my advice and pick one of Bayer's "combo" products, then all bets are off--because the "combo" products contain insecticide (along with fungicide and/or fertilizer). And if you spray, get an extension "wand" so that your reach extends way beyond your arm--and you can thus stay further back away from the spray. Read the labels for other Do's and Don't's. Spray as little as possible--and only spray the roses that need some help controlling BS. Unforutnately, in some parts of the country, gardeners find themselves in BS-he!! and thus have to spray every 2-3 weeks all season long. Myself, I'd go look for some more disease-resistant roses so that I didn't need to spray that often--but then I've never lived in BS-he!! --so I can't really say what I'd do under those circumstances. And now I'll predict that several posters will arrive on the scene and vigorously denounce me for the "moderate" approach I advocate here. To them, you must rave against fungicides, or you are a hopeless renegade! To each his/her own, I say. : ) Good luck. Kate

MDE Pierre Oger Bourbon Worst of the lot, all of my modern roses can get blackspot, but im not in a heavy pressure areas like some, usually my entire first flush is clean, then it comes on in degrees, the listed bourbon above is by far the worst, though I dont grow nearly as many roses as some of you. She also is by far the worst attractor of bugs... Its a wonder why I keep her at all =)... I do not spray, not out of defrence to our enviroment (which I probable should be) but becuase I have young children and they do not understand about chemicals, they get the concept not to eat plants, but when you tell them its ok to smell flowers, then all of a sudden tell them, NO you cant smell that one its too hard for them to grasp, its easier just to live with the blackspot for me... I am gradually starting to plant more Once bloomers for me though, they are much more resistent to blackspot than many of the modern roses... But again, My garden is clean for a month and half, its only when things get too dry and the humidity starts up in the latter half of summer. Silverkelt BTW Pierre Oger below it really is pretty flower despite everything else...

Thank you for all the excellent thoughts all, and sorry to disappear; I didn't realize the thread had grown so! The insufficient sun query is an interesting thought; up until a month ago, we had a MONSTROUS tree in the yard (which is very small) which certainly affected the sun in the garden area. We had it removed after it threw two giant limbs at our house in a one month span. It hasn't really been long enough to see what sort of an impact that will have and the black spot was already well established at that point, but I hadn't thought of that. I do like the idea of replacing a couple of the more damaged plants with modern varieties and seeing how they fare next year. Combined with the added sun, I'm sort of excited to see what sort of a difference it makes. In the last week, most of the plants have shot forth new flowers, which was pretty unexpected- they went from bare to bud to flower seemingly overnight. The humidity has been MUCH lower and the whole garden seems to be breathing a sigh of relief. I may see if I can get some pictures before the flowers fade. Thank you for all the guidance. I'll keep checking in and I'm sure I'll be back with more questions!

Gypsum and Potassium Sulphate is the cure for the dreaded BS in my garden. One teaspoon Gypsum, two teaspoons Potassium Sulphate, once a week, water it in with my hosepipe. If very rainy - twice - 3 times per week. If dry, much less. If needed I sprinkle some corn meal over the leaves, but that usually only happens right at the end of summer when dew starts building up heavily. Straw gave me this amazing 'recipe'. Both the gypsum (Calcium) and Potassium Sulphate are anti-fungal. Potassium also helps with strong new basal shoots and lots of blooms. Also keep good circulation.