Question
I have a double knockout with holes in leaves. Reading over your questions and answers, it sounds like insects, possibly living in the soil at the base of the rose.  However, what do I do about the holey leaves?  Should I cut back the canes that are affected?  Some of the canes seem to not be affected yet, leaves intact.  Should I prune the whole bush back to 12" and start fresh?  And if I do, what do I need to do to prevent this from happening again?  I used the Bayer Rose Care granules at the beginning of the season, and sprayed with an organic pest control product after the holes started.  But the holes continue to appear.  Any help would be appreciated.  Many thanks, stevi

Answer
Don't cut any rose canes unless they are diseased or dead. A rose needs lots of leaves, as they are the mini factories that keep it alive as well as the roots. You did all the right things to keep any insects off your rose and they should have worked, even if they were hiding in the soil. The granules are applied every six weeks to be effective and kill any bugs but sometimes organic insect sprays don't always work on all insects. Is it possible that it is birds pecking at the leaves or even mice eating them? Maybe it isn't an insect that is doing the damage.