I have Hansa and it gets a lot of "blackspot", "leafspot" or "leaf necrosis" in the fall. It seems that I have more blackspot on my rugosas than on my Austins. Snow Pavement got yellow leaves and finally died. Its last location has proven to be a difficult place to grow roses as it remains damper than the rest of the raised bed. If your rugosas die, try planting new ones in a different location. I wouldn't try moving them now as it will probably kill them. Blanc Double de Coubert did not survive the move. They seem to have some kind of taproot. Pierette Pavement is doing well as is Foxy Pavement.

What kind of soil is it in? Virtually all containerized houseplants need regular nutritional supplementation; so YES, you should have a good fertilizer on hand and have a strategy in place that includes regular fertilizing that is adjusted in relation to the changes in growth habit as the plant makes it's way through the growth cycle. No one can tell you how to fertilize w/o knowing something about your soil and your watering habits, because those factors determine how much you use and how often you use it. If I guessed you were just getting interested in learning how to best provide for your plants' cultural needs, would I be right? In most cases, the manner in which a person addresses the issues for which you seek guidance will depend on your level of experience. I use, as do many others, and highly recommend Dyna-Gro's Foliage-Pro 9-3-6 fertilizer. There are a number of reasons for this, and I can direct you to a thread that lays out those reasons if you have interest. Your plant probably shouldn't be fertilized until you see signs of new growth. My guess is, the soil has been kept overly wet, which accounts for a very high % of the problems for which folks eventually arrive here in search of resolution. Once all the leaves fall, the amount of water your plant uses will be minuscule, so make sure you do not over-water. If you don't know how to use a wooden dowel/skewer as a tell, and want to, just ask. Many folks here use or have used that method with good results. It doesn't lie and will tell you when your plant does/doesn't need water. Al

Check with your state's tree people and see if there is any Phymatotrichum Root Rot about. The symptoms sound similar, although generally the dead leaves remain on the trees. It's also called Texas Root Rot, and can affect Hop Hornbeam.

In general, I would like to be able to tell you that you cannot overwater, being in the dry SW. But generalizations get one in trouble and since I'm not standing there looking at the situation, I could easily lead you down the wrong path. So, a couple other thoughts: First, has any construction work been performed in the general area of this tree recently? I see thin foliage at the tree's top and that is often a sign of root system damage. So, has any heavy equipment been in the area, any holes or trenches dug for anything? Second, if you would, take a close look at the bark up and down that portion of the trunk you can see from the ground. Look for tiny holes. some insects lay eggs in trees, usually just under the bark, and then when the larvae hatch and later pupate, they form exit holes. These holes are often shaped like the letter "D" but not always, and can be quite tiny, depending on species of insect. Now I'm not saying there is a borer of some type working the tree over, just that we want to be able to rule that out. Any other signs of symptoms? Any small piles of sawdust-looking material at the base of the tree? I'm still mining (bu dum bum) the same territory-that of borer insects. But that does not mean your tree has this problem. Finally, assuming no insect issue is identified, please refrain from blindly applying "some pesticide" to the tree, in the hope of somehow magically hitting the right target. It just doesn't work that way. Tree pests are often quite specific in their tastes, so one really needs to know what they're dealing with. Do pay attention to water management though. This means that if things are too dry in your locale for proper tree health, it may be time to water, keeping in mind that a tree of this size has roots running all over the place, not in some neat little bundle right next to the base of the trunk! One really needs to water the yard to water their trees. Refrain from any fertilizer use as that can stress the plant out even more. Then let us know what happens down the road. +oM