Maybe related or can point you in the right direction. I recently visited an area resort on Cape Cod where a golf course was being renovated. On a tour of the facility I asked why there was so much sand being put down and where the loam or topsil was. They put down atleast 8" of a 80% sand and 20% seed mix...and no loam or soil! Pretty sure it was rolled out. They were planting bent grass (tee boxes, fairways, greens) and bluegrass on the first cut. True they have drainage and irrigation, but I was surprised they were using a mix with primarily sand.

I was thinking just what Jerijen said, amazed that Knockout roses could be decimated by blackspot. MScaradine, are your Knockouts the original Knockout, or one of the varients bred from it? Second question is: You mentioned your tea roses doing well. Did you actually mean the old garden tea roses or hybrid teas? I have just heard so many people shorten hybrid tea to "tea" that I'm never sure. They are completely separate classes of roses. I wouldn't throw out the Knockouts without giving them a chance to recover, perhaps to next year. I had a Belinda's Dream rose that had significant blackspot when I bought it and for a few months afterwards, but after that it was highly resistant. Thanks, Rosetom, for your information about Banner Maxx. I did not know it is the same class as the tebuconazole. I used that before I ever started with the Bayer stuff, so I still have a supply of it. I have also used manzate occasionally, so I'll remember to give that a turn every so often. I don't much care for the filmy residue the Manzate leaves behind, but that's a minor annoyance and doesn't last long. Anyway, I have not been too diligent this year about spraying, but, knock on wood, so far the blackspot has been easily controlled, so the Bayer tebuconazole is still doing its job. Yea, Modern Miracle, indeed! I think Ingrid has a valid concern about the enivornmental impact. It is easier, though, to avoid blackspot in a drier climate. When you live in the Gulf South, blackspot is a major issue. There are certainly a handful of old garden roses highly resistant to it, but none are immune. Also, there are a lot of old garden roses that I see blackspot here as badly as modern roses. so you have to do your research carefully. I find (selfishly, perhaps) that certain colors and bloom form and size combinations are just simply not available in old garden rose varieties. I am encourage, however, with how much improvement we're seeing, in the overall disease resistance of some select modern varieties. My fingers are crossed that this trend will continue. In the meantime, if we're going to use chemicals in the garden, the labels that say CAUTION are supposed to be less dangerous than the ones that say either WARNING or DANGER. Bayer has a CAUTION label. Mike

That rose lady must have been thinking all her roses get this problem and so just cut out the dead canes and the rose will grow more canes. But, when all the canes are gone, you have a problem. You should not have allowed her to prune them. You should prep the soil before you plant, not while you are waiting. Pruning seal means no new grow can come there. If the rose is already infected pruning seal won't stop the infection. Once the fungus has colonized in the wood, there is no way to get that fungus out of the wood, as far as I know. If I am wrong, someone tell me out to get that fungus out of the wooden cane.

There are at least five 'deer off" products easily available in garden centers and nurseries. I alternate them, so the deer don't become accustomed to just one. One had to keep reapplying, but they work pretty well most of the time.