Question
I live in S.C. zone 7b.  I have 80 rose bushes and trees. 50% of them have black spots on the leaves and some on them stems.  My first mistake I know was water them in the evenings. I'm not no expert on roses, my husband just keeps buying them for me, and I'm learning how just to keep them alive.  I really need to know if I can cut them back now, or should I wait.  And what kind of diseases controll should I use?  please help my rose garden
thank you
Debra Barranco

Answer
It is not a mistake to water roses in the evening no matter what the books tell you. The only time it may cause fungal problems is when the conditions are right, such as warm days and cool nights. I have always watered my roses in the evening as I have sandy soil and this keeps the water from drying out. Because the season is almost over, don't worry too much about your roses this year. But next spring cut them back by about a third. Just cut them right across the bush. Then give them a handful of any rose fertilizer and put some sort of mulch all around the base of the rose bush. Roses really love cool roots and do better if they are kept cool, especially in hot weather and a mulch gives them those conditions. Spraying with a dormant oil and sulphur mix is considered to be the best thing you can do to keep Black Spot under control. Simply use this spray before your roses start to leaf out in the early spring and you will see a big difference. Water your roses every 5 days in normal weather, every three in hot weather. Give them about a bucket of water each time you water. In very hot weather wash the whole bush down with the hose.