I am also in a coastal SoCal climate. In my experience, roses that are rusting for you even tho you are spraying can be best cured with a shovel.

I can tolerate a little rust late in the year, but anything that rusts on new spring leaves is just not going to stay here.

There are hundreds of roses to choose from that won't do that -- so it's not worth the labor and the health questions involved in constant use of chemical sprays.

Seriously -- Dig them up, and look for varieties that are resistant.

Jeri

What Jeri said, though Banner-Maxx is way better for rust and you would not have to spray twice a week, more like once every three weeks.

Still in the long run, highly rust-resistant roses are best so close to the coast as you are.

Jeri; don't you think shovel is a bit too radical, esp. since some of the affected bushes are as much as 15-20 years old and had some rust problem before but never so bad.

I agree with Jeri and hoovb! The shovel is the best way to deal with rust on roses that require frequent sprays: it's just as Jeri says about "not worth the labor and the health questions involved in constant use of chemical sprays", and besides there are many other roses with better rust resistence. But Charles, if you think the shovel is too radcial, one suggestion is that you might want to strip off all the leaves on your rusting rose bushes, let them re-grow new cleaner leaves. Good luck.

Charles, I do not yet know much about rust but if you have had these for nearly 20 years, I would want to look at other variables before digging anything up. Are you sure it's rust & has anything changed within your environment, within the last year? :-)

Of course things have changed! Our weather is changing radically. We are bidding farewell here to roses that can't handle our altered conditions.

And, yes. I'm very serious.
I will accept plants that rust on old foliage -- late in the year.
Roses that rust on new spring foliage I will simply not accept.

If they're well-watered and otherwise healthy, and the rust continues, I would remove them before I would spray the area with chemicals that are tougher on me and my pets than they are on the rust.

Jeri

The "other variables" is the weather. The hotter and wetter it is, the more rust you will have. Cooler wet, or hotter dry and you have little to no rust. The past few years have been a progressive pattern of all seasons being warmer here, with more rust during any periods of greater humidity. If you want to try waiting it out in hopes of things returning to "normal", that's up to you. But in the mean time, more chemicals, more rust and more of a blind eye to the rust issues will be what is required. Whether things return to the previous "norm" or not, greater rust resistance varieties is a much more eco-friendly, labor saving "cure". Of course, the choice is yours. Kim

Growing_rene, just to let you know, rust is unmistakable, and if you see it once you cannot mistake it for something else (horrible rust colored tiny three dimensional spots all over the back of the leaves. When you touch it - I think it is spores - it flies up into the air looking for more victims).

I had once had a rose which rusted badly. I noticed that when I tried to take off the leaves, the rust dust spread around and even the nearest rose which had not rusted before, got it. I agree with those who say to get rid of roses which rust. I have over 100 roses in my garden, and I live in No Cal where we do have rust, and only 3 of my roses ever get it. They are mid 20th century hybrid teas which I am keeping because my DH's grandfather planted them over 50 years ago. I keep them in huge pots on the patio away from other roses so that I can deal with their rust, which is my cross to bear because I am so sentimental. There are gazillion wonderful roses which do not rust here, so if I were Charles, I would get rid of the rusty roses and take Jeri's advice (because she gardens in a similar climate) as to what to plant instead.

Jackie

Thank you for the rust info. It sounds like you guys have rust like we have bs.
I hope your recent climate changes are temporary & just a cycle. So far this year, we are having the coolest and rainiest summer I can remember. I hope this is also temporary or I will be removing plants that are susceptible to bs.

All right, I don't know much about roses, but I enjoy them. The old roses are in my rear garden and rusting. But I installed one in front about four years ago, no other roses nearby . It thrives they say it is the best, most beautiful rose in the neighborhood. But is has rust just as well. I bought it at Plant Depot, San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capistrano, the tag says, Grandiflora, "Dream Come True" (WECDOCPOT), Star Roses. suppose to be rust resistant and the nursery is local, should know about local climate. Anyhow, isn't it too late in the year to remove and replant? Also is it possible that the soil is infected and newly planted roses will be infected as well? Are other, next or nearby other plants and flowers carriers?

Spores of rust are airborne and can travel a fair distance.

Is there a public rose garden in your area? If there is (and if it is not sprayed) that would be the ideal place for you to learn what rose varieties are remaining clean, in our changing climate.

You might also want to contact a local ARS Rose Society. There's a very very good society which meets in Carlsbad. They should be able to give you very location-specific suggestions. The Society is California Coastal R.S. -- They're the nicest folks in the world, just about.

Tell them that Jeri Jennings suggested you contact them. I really like those folks. :-)

Jeri

Here is a link that might be useful: California Coastal Rose Society