And even more frivolity

I have been using Eco Neem and Eco rose and this season my problems are much reduced. I also put those roses more prone to blackspot in areas where they likely to late day sun/breezes.

Maybe I have been lucky

Brett

I used to live in Brisbane but moved to Toowoomba. Blackspot was reduced by the move to a drier climate with lower humidity. However, I do occasionally spray with Saprol which is applied at 26ml per 20 litres in my sprayer. This is a much cheaper way to apply Triforene for that is what it is. However, I had to outlay $350 for 5 litres and it has lasted me about seven years. NOw you may wonder if it has become useless with standing but that does not seem to be the case. I will require some more in a few months time but am going to consider alternatives. I have learnt a lot more over the past seven years since I bought Saprol with the intention of spraying about twice a month. I have found that keeping plants well hydrated, reducing the number of yellow and apricot bushes which seem to be much more prone to blackspot and mulching and watering, now that we have water makes a difference. You don't spray blackspot when you see it. You spray before you see it after rain. No overhead watering reduces the problem.

Jordan, I would never have believed your avatar was Othello; mine looks completely different. It was never red here in Brisbane, but deep, deep rich pink with a wonderfully contrasting lighter reverse, right from the start, very cupped and full. I definitely agree it has a great fragrance and that the colours are never quite right. The pink is still much deeper than this:
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It’s an echidna on steroids, Silky, but still a very close runner up to my favorite Jude the Obscure.

Great to hear your DA’s are powering in Brisbane, too, Brett. Do you have any photos? I don’t think you’ve been just lucky there. In my old garden (also in Brisbane) I haven’t found them to be any more black spot prone than other roses, in fact, the HTs were the only concern in that regard. At the moment I only foliar feed my roses with tea from my worm farm, and don’t spray at all; they’re all clean, Austins included. Maybe its just Gary, who’s been unlucky with them, could it be the soil?
I would definitely agree with Bonita about the watering and mulching, and of course keeping the leaves healthy and resilient to prevent the bs.

now that i think off it .. it might have been the prince not too sure jac .. they were pics on my old pc .. that ive lost now so u could be right .. might be the prince or the dark lady

i will take some pics when they bloom and we will see

Lol, will be nice to see more pictures all the same.

lol dont worry jac they will be posted

Jaci your Othello may be different to Jordan's "Othello" but still absolutely gorgeous. LOL echidna on steroids....you certainly gotta a way with words. How long are the "spikes" of this creature?
Yes Jordan, looking forward to more pics.

Silky, I’ll take a photo of the latest cane when the sun comes up; but I warn you: it’s not pretty. Might as well show it; warts and all.

Mmmmm, YUMMY
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The Poppy doesn’t really do much to show scale: in real life this cane is very thick …
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and stiff as … there were some comments that Othello might be pegged, but I can’t really see how this could be done:
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During the recent storms, everybody here in my garden went with the flow and even my Austins in bloom at the time, Golden Celebration, Jude the Obscure, Heritage, Clair- and Pat- and my fluffy mystery Austin, all kept their petals on; but this stiff 1.4m Othello cane keeled right over.[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Having shown this, I better follow up with something redeeming …
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The blooms of the first flush, here, were on the larger side (what’s with the colour?); later blooms were a bit smaller and not as deep.
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There’s nothing I can do to get the rich deep pink I’m seeing here in my garden into my photos …
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but Othello is definitely not red in the subtropical climate.
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Love your pix, Jac! Like a storyboard. Bet the scent is to die for.

Ah, but The Moor comes armed and dangerous. A sobering reminder that I should do something about a tentanus booster shot.

Have you ever pegged a rose, if not Othello?

Yowser! That is one thorny cane! Don't envy you at pruning time Jaci. But oh those flowers, breathtaking. Thanks for posting Jaci.

BTW I love your brave poppy reaching through the foliage. I have these growing through the garden as well and just love them. They are always out at Remembrance Day. One packet of seeds years ago and they self seed every year.Beautiful when the sun shines on those silken petals.

Betsy, the scent is strong and warm and gentle, very relaxing, and I would not attempt to peg or train Othello’s canes (tentanus shot or not, but thanks for the tip); although some commentators on HMF indicated they’ve managed and got more blooms.
I’ve watched some marvelous training tutorials on pegging on Youtube; all five or six techniques included, but have never actually pegged a rose. However, I’m training Charlotte and Twilight Glow over an arch and know how flexible the canes must be to bend without damaging them, and wouldn’t go there with Othello – not even at the earliest stages.

I’m glad to hear the Poppies come back each year, Silky. I’m really happy with mine and so are the bees. Mine came out of a seed pack, too, and I’m surprised how many I got – huge masses; and I would have pulled out ½ of them before realizing that the seedlings look exactly like weeds.

Yes Jaci, bit poppies do like dandelions but lighter green and thinner leaves. I can recognise them now. They will self sow if the ground has been cultivated but can't grow through mulch of course.

I think I’ll cut the seed pods off to sow in places where they’d have a better chance to emerge than in my densely packed and mulched up cottage garden. Would I get a second lot if I sowed them now or do they come out only once a year?

only once unfortunately, for me anyway. In your warmer climate you may be lucky. I collect and scatter seed every year.

Yes, I’ll try with a couple and store the rest … I’m thinking little herb & spice glass bottles or would you say paper bags are better?

I've found paper bags the best. You'll know seeds are ready to collect when the pods develop holes and the seeds run out.

Thanks for the tip, Silky, I’ll keep an eye on the pods and won’t use the glass jars for storage.