Everyone else seems to let their roses flower on through summer and wonder if this exhausts the plant. How long can you expect a rose to last in a hot climate like ours?

I have also been told to feed them half the amount at six weeks intervals rather than a big feed in late summer so thats what I do, I also give them a watering with seasol after a good shower of rain. The flowers on mine dont get as scorched now as I grew the new ones last season where they would get afternoon shade, and they are so much better.

I still get Black Spot after the rains but the roses that I have in my house all summer make it well worth the extra pruning and TLC they get, maybe others will say I am doing it wrong but it works for me here in Queensland and I hate people from other States trying to tell me how to grow roses here when they have never tried. Especially when they are all having the same problem with scorched flowers. Keep them well watered and you do what you think is best. Cheers..MM.

PS.. The park down the road has lots of roses in flower, so the council must think it is OK too.

I had trouble posting this - said my cookie must be deleted but wasn't.

I find that all the roses lose their colour as the Spring turns into Summer expecially the darker ones, red like Camp David and La Sevillana which turn pink with white spripes it is one of my older roses. About the Seasol, well I was told to liquid feed after a good shower of rain and as I only has Seasol and its mate Power feed here I put them into the watering can this is the first time I have used it as it is the first time we have any decent rain. It has not done them any harm, but I will say I water mine a lot as most are in raised garden beds, they have a very thick layer of Sugar Cane mulch on them as well. I am not looking forward to the bucket watering in March so I hope we get some rain for the catchment areas. I spray mine with Triforine when I remember at present I have just sprayed for bud crub, they were terrible . No I do not use milk I did try it once but was not happy with the results maybe I used the wrong ratio how much milk per water do you use.. I try not to used chemicals as I have so many little frogs and bearded dragons on the block but after trying to pick all these little grubs of every day I took the easy way out. Sorry I am not much help. Cheers..MM.

I pick off the caterpillars which love Just Joey and my mandevilla. I have yet to test drive milk on thrips or other insects - I would be surprised if it worked. I think its a mildew only cure but there's no harm in trying.

I use dry horse manure and old hay for mulch - scrounge it out of anybody's hay shed that will let me. Wish I could afford cane mulch.

Hope things don't get so bad you have to use a bucket. It must rain sometime soon surely.

I am going to find Seduction and see if it can seduce me. Have you tried the old red Crimson Glory - haven't noticed it fading. It's prickly and the flower stalks are weak but its flower is perfect.

Had trouble with the log on page this time. Had to do it 3 times - on dial-up!!

Hi Sandie your advice and Mary's, Dees and Michelle's about tying and pruning my climbing roses on the Arch was invaluable they are coming along great and with another huge downpour just after doing that its time to do it again.. And if you have never grown roses up here you would be shocked at how hard it is, especially if you had lived down south for most of your life. I take advice off anyone, you are never too old to learn more, but when I am told that I don't water my roses enough by someone that lives down south, when I water them deeply every second day how would you feel.. And you are so right we do have to do things different here and I wish that person would remember that, and I am celebrating the difference Sandie with vases of roses the ones I was told by that person would not grow in the shade under the tall gum trees ...Cheers..MM.