Dear Newsview, I am no expert, but I can share what I have learned in 12 years of growing roses in the hot Central Valley. Winter watering is critical. Water is restricted where I live, so I try to irrigate in winter in dry years to help my roses grow a good root system through the winter months. I second your idea of pruning in early summer. Many of my best roses quite sensibly take a nap during summer months. You might want to interplant with some aromatic plants--I particularly like lavender--for summer interest and to help repel insects. Weeding, my worst failing, is also critcal. There is simply not enough water to support the roses and the weeds. Herbs, like the lavender just mentioned, rosemary, etc. have fairly low water requirements. Also, I hope you are spreading a thick mulch to feed your plants and suppress weeds. I have had very good results with alfalfa pellets, available from feed stores, spread around the roots of my rose bushes. These can be covered with a layer of composted manure--available at Savemart at a very low cost--wood chips, or other mulch for appearance. You might want to consider switching to some organic methods, which I think--nonexpert personal opinion--might work for stressed plants. I have had good results with alfalfa tea; there are recipes here on the organic care forum. The search function should turn one up for you. Essentially, you soak some alfala in a fairly large amount of water untill you can't stand the smell, then dilute and use as a soil drench. I have all but given up on bareroots--body bags as they are called on this forum. They might do well in cold climates, but in our warm springs, the tops are happily growing while the roots are still dormant. Some expert CA gardeners still buy them and report good results, but I have found I prefer ownroot plants. And do check out the website for Sequoia Nursery. World renowned breeder Ralph Moore, from Visalia, CA, has introduced wonderful cultivars which do particularly well in warm climates. At $12.50 each for his newest floribundas plus shipping to your location, you will still pay less than at your local garden center for a far superior plant. I have also learned to plant in fall and winter, and never later than April. Unfortunately, what is sold at one's local garden center is not necesarily what grows well in one's local climate. I, and many other gardeners, have to do our own research to learn about what we can and can't grow. You might want to visit one of the splendid public gardens in S. CA. to see what kind of roses you might like to try. I am partial to Noisettes and Teas, but this is a matter of taste.

Take a look at my post called "strange growth" do any of those pics look like your plants? Dale

This is a long winded thread and Im glad. I started vermicomposting last april 2013 . I didnt get enough castings to use last summer . But I did have enough to put in some cuttings I over wintered and I used nothing but castings and liquid seaweed. The cuttings are doing well and leafing more than I remembered other cuttings doing. This year I will have enough to try on my roses and honeysuckle and others. Plus I will be trying worm tea, in fact Im brewing a batch at present which Im going to test on my cuttings and seedlings. Hopefully all will go well and I can report back in detail.

Glenda, from another site I read, this woman has reservations for a cruise next January and she said this the other day: I've been reading a message board called www.cruisecritic.com, which has everything and more you'd need to know about cruising. On that board I found out about a sweet little piece of software called Cruise Shark, which you can download for free and install on your computer. You enter the cruise you're taking and the price you're paying, and it constantly checks for price reductions on your cruise (or "price drops" in cruiser lingo). Lo and behold, last night I logged on to my laptop and it said "Congratulations! There is a price drop!" I called Royal Caribbean and said "I understand the price of my cruise has gone down and I'd like you to adjust my fare," and they said "We'll be happy to do that," and we ended up saving FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS