I grow ones that aren't succeptible to fungal infections and have a high tolerance to spots. If it's too disease prone, then I shovelprune it. I do have a few leftovers from my mostly HT period that grow with the life support of fungicides, but that number is increasingly small. If I like a rose enough to spray it in my garden rather than shovelprune it, I use chemicals that I know will work, and I use them safely with proper personal protection equipment. Suiting up to spray is onerous, but you need to do it for whatever spray choice you use, and if I'm going to do that, then I'm going to use something that does the job.

The best option for someone who wants to grow roses organically is to choose roses that can be grown that way. YOu won't find them at your local garden center and they won't be hybrid teas. So, it requires an attitude adjustment about roses in general. The ARE sells many roses that do well without any spraying whatsoever.

Here is a link that might be useful: Antique Rose Emporium

Hi MegaJas
I have found that Poulsons "Renaissance" roses are healthy and fungus free without any spraying or special treatment. They flower continuosly and are tolerant of rain. Last year I had sucsess whith "Prince Camille de Rohan" (wich is VERY prone to black spot). I dug the plant up in early spring and mixed the soil with seaweed meal and and cow-manure compost. I sprayed every week or two with a liquid fertilzer containing seaweed. I got some blackspot late in september but I figured that was acseptable.

I have used 2% milk and water (1:1) to great affect with powdey mildew; I sprayed it just like a chemical spray all over the bushes.

I use milk and water 1 to 5 mix(1 milk)4 times a year, fertilise with an Organic fertiliser every 4 weeks, mulch with cow/sheep/organic mulch and spray with Seasol when I think about it. There are a few out of my 160 that suffer disease - but not enough to worry about!
You will always have some that misbehave - but if the blooms and growth are great?

The other treatment you can try is Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda) and water.

Remember that roses need deep watering, at the first sign of mildew dig down and see if they are dry, try to water in the morning and leave no standing water.(puddles)

Cornell mixture (see FAQ) will control powdery mildew very effectively. It has some effect on black spot. Sulfur (also see FAQ) is more effective against black spot and also prevents mildew. These materials are considered "nearly non-toxic."