Henry, thanks.

Thanks for sharing

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9332112/Sunburnt-leaves-the-myth-debunked.html

The popular belief that water drops can burn leaves on a sunny day has no basis
in reality, research has proved, so why does it persist?

Regarding drops of water on leaves, see:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.03150.x/full

Regarding slow release fertilizer, the author should of stated what "slow release" meant. Is it 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, or even 12 months. Also, in what climate?

http://garden.org/learn/articles/view/698/

The study Henery found states: We found that a spheroid drop at solar elevation angle θ ≈ 23°,
corresponding to early morning or late afternoon, produces a maximum
intensity of focused sunlight on the leaf outside the drop’s imprint. [and] In sunshine, water drops residing on smooth, hairless plant leaves are
unlikely to damage the underlying leaf tissue, while water drops held
above leaves by plant hairs can indeed cause sunburn, if their focal
regions fall on to the leaf blade.

Those of us with day jobs can't run home in the middle of the day to water our roses--I'd recommend watering them in the morning before work when there is plenty of time for them to dry off--leaves that stay wet all night are likely to get black spot.

I used an automatic watering and feeding system based on the use of
recycled rubber soaker hose, an automatic timer, and water filter cartridge
holders. Starting from the garden water faucet, the system consists of the
following:
1) An anti-siphon device protected by filters on both the
inlet and outlet side. The function of the anti-siphon device is to prevent
water from backing up into the house water system if the house water pressure
would suddenly drop from something like flushing a toilet. The reason I use
filters on both the inlet and outlet side is to prevent particles from entering
the anti-siphon check valve chamber. Particle contamination could prevent the
valve from completely closing. As an additional precaution I use a second
filter, anti-siphon device, filter combination in series with the first but
located after the automatic timer. I also replace the anti-siphon devices each
season (since mineral buildup could also hinder complete sealing of the
valve).
2) Battery operated automatic timers. The most important feature
to look for is that the unit will automatically shut off when the batteries are
weak. Also look for a unit with a battery life that lasts for the season (the
first unit that I purchased needed a new battery every couple of weeks). My
present units are good for the season. My timers have a manual on-off feature
that does not disturb the automatic settings. I find this feature very useful.
Ease of programming would also be desirable (some of my previous units were not
easy to program). As noted above the timers are protected by filters on both
the inlet and outlet sides.
3) Water filter cartridges holders. I use
four household water filter cartridge holders in series to hold whatever
chemicals I want to deliver to the rose beds. The number four is because I have
four independent lines to various parts of my garden (each with its own timer -
set to go on at times that do not overlap). The first one was purchased at a
discount store. The others were later purchased used at yard sales and
Goodwill type stores. I recommend that you look for units with a clear lower
unit and with a pressure release button. I install them backwards to the
suggested direction when used as filters. As I install them the water enters
from the center of the cover and then exits from the side of the cover. I epoxy
a small section of plastic pipe to the center top inlet so that the water goes
to the bottom of the cartridge holder (this is not necessary, but it does
promote more rapid mixing of the fertilizer and the water). To use a household
filter cartridge holder with a garden hose, one should utilize adapters to
change from water pipe thread to garden house thread. The adaptors are not
expensive, and they are normally available at large hardware stores. The two
threads are almost the same; but if you try to force the one on the other , you
will cross thread the fitting and probably have slow leakage at the joint.
4) The distribution system. I have used both regular PVC plastic pipe and
cheap plastic garden hose for the under lawn delivery systems. I used a
semicircular edger tool to lift one side of the sod and then I pushed the hose
under the sod. In the Spring the ground is relatively soft and this part of the
installation is not as hard as one may think.
5) The soaker hoses. Once
in the individual bed the water is split into several paths by the use of
inexpensive "Y" connectors (with shut off valves in each arm). The soaker hoses
are connected at this point. In my most recent beds I use three hoses that run
parallel to each other 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 of the way from one side of the bed (my
beds are about 5 feet wide). In the older beds I snaked two hoses in and out
from bush to bush (the hoses were installed after the bushes were in place so a
straight line installation was not possible). I install a manual on-off valve
at the termination end of each hose so that I can periodically flush the hose.
The first year I buried the soaker hoses. However, the second year I found that
the hoses appeared to have lost most of their porosity (presumably due to
mineral build up). I now put the hose under the mulch. Each spring I take the
hose up and flex it and then flush it. This seems to restore the porosity.
Sometimes in the late fall I have added enzyme drain cleaner to the water
filter cartridges the day before shutting down the system for the season. I
should point out that the water used is untreated well water so the mineral
buildup problem may not be typical. Probably each hose is replaced every 4 or 5
years.
(As a side note.) I found that I can not operate the units at night
as "critters" chew on the hoses to get more water.

Good points! I wonder if the roses in the growing fields fry in the heat of summer like mine do, or if I'm just not watering/fertilizing enough? Time to experiment!

Deadheading all your roses at the same time isn't a good idea if you want a continuous bloom--many roses will bloom about six weeks after pruning--perhaps as much as eight weeks for a heavily petaled rose like Moonstone. If you prune them all at the same time you will get blooms at the same time. Another way to get a continuous bloom is to grow big mature plants--they are more likely to bloom all summer than roses heavily pruned to fit in a small space.

zack, this has been my experience based on experimentation this year. I've been nipping the spent blooms as they blow on My NewDawns and Munstead Wood. MW is new this year and has had about 70 blooms each plant and two flushes, but the buds were ready to pop when the first blooms passed. I've had ND for years and only used to get sporadic blooms after the first flush even with a one-time deadheading. Now I have a crazy amount of blooms almost continually and am into a second good flush. The difference is huge.