They are in bad shape but I believe they can be salvaged. I like to water my roses often but I let the soil dry out in between waterings (they like a drink, but don't like to swim). I feed them every once in a while all depending on how they are growing. Whatever fertilizer you use, make sure you follow the dosages printed on the label. If you want to fertilize more often then use a weaker dose. There is such a thing as too much food. After these bushes leaf out I would give them a haircut. There is no telling how much abuse they put up with before you got them. If the roots are healthy and the plant is strong then I would cut all the branches back by half now but if they were starved for attention and are not in good health then I would wait and let this new crop of leaves boost the plants energy for the rest of this season and then cut them way back after your first freeze. To keep them in tip top shape you will have to learn how to prune them and keep them on a feeding schedule.

Can you post a close up of the growth at the tops of the roses? It looks like they may either have herbicide damage or rose rosette viruse. If either, I would replace the roses. If RRV, then you must very carefully dig them up and bag them to prevent any spread of the virus. Paul, I would post any questions about Roses on the Rose forum so rose experts can look at them. John, I don't mean that you are not an expert, because you know I believe you are!

Paul,

please post this pic on rose forum. I would bet money on that rose having RRV. If it was mine, I would dig the whole thing out, and any other rose you have close to it that the new growth looks like that, and get rid of it. The virus spreads and stays in the soil also, so you might want to plant something else in that spot, the fall is a great time to plant something else.

Bag them before you dig them to prevent the mites from moving while you are digging if the rose is small enough. Paul, stillanntn has an ebook on the internet all about RRV at http://www.rosegeeks.com.

John, how is that Fortune's 5 Color rose doing that I gave you a few years ago? Hope to see you at the Raleigh Swap!

Gail

Thanks for all the information. I posted it on the roses forum.