Question
QUESTION: One of 11 hedge roses we have had for four years wilted, turned brown, and died within a matter of days. We have had plenty of rainfall and I spray daconil and permethrin (Bonide),  alternately, every 10 to 14 days. After pulling plant there were only a few small fibrous roots, no larger lateral rooting. No sign of borers.  Plant had new growth and flowers right before it died.The other roses in hedge have some black spot but otherwise have plenty of new growth and flowers.Any ideas? Moles? Nematodes? Grubs?
Asheville, NC Zone 7 Soil is forest soil, roses are tied to split rail fence.

ANSWER: If a plant looked fine just a few days before he completely dies, then something has damaged the root system. If it was nematodes, then you would see many small nodes along the roots. If it was an animal, then the roots would have been cut off and if it was a type of grub, then the roots would looked chewed. I am not organic but I get many reports about the damage that Daconil causes roses but if that was the cause, then you would see the leaves showing brown on many of the roses. It does take time for a rose to die as it can live off the moisture built up in the canes. Is it in an area that is a bit different than the other roses? Sometimes when a rose dies it was just that the rose was not budded correctly or it simply was a poor plant to start with even though it didn't appear to be. Forest soil is usually on the acid side but that is what roses prefer. It might be wise to keep an eye on the roses on either side of the one that died.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Do you have a suggestion for Fungicide/Insecticide combination, or individually? We have tea, hedge, climbing and knockouts.

Answer
I'm afraid although I am not an organic rose grower, I do not use any insecticides because it kills the good guys as well as the bad ones. And in regards to keeping black spot under control, because the fungal spores float around in the air, it is impossible to get rid of it. There are 8 major kinds and one year they will infect some roses while others are clean and then another year different spores will show up on the roses that were clean the year before as they were immune to that particular strain. It has been proven that if you don't spray most roses will not suffer any damage from black spot. Roses can drop 60% of their leaves and still recover from the disease. Roses can re-grow three sets of leaves before it effects their vigour. This is not a sermon as I understand that if you have a busy life you want to enjoy your roses not be chained to them spraying all the time. The information out there from the university tests, say that spraying your roses in the spring with a dormant oil and sulphur spray, is the best way to get rid of overwintering spores and prevent most others. In regards to bugs, if it is caterpillars then smothering them with an oil spray does the job. Those that  make holes in the leaves as they eat such as beetles, here it comes, hand picking in the morning when they are half asleep gets rid of them. Chemicals for cosmetic use are banned in many European countries plus Canada has also banned them, and the States will be next. Thank goodness breeders are addressing the problem and are introducing disease resistant roses.
I get a lot of mail about Knock Outs responding negatively to sprays. Strange as they are billed as ironlike plants. And teas are not too  happy with them either. Safers products are probably the best way to go as in most cases you don't need a strong chemical to get rid of the majority of insects.