Location - North of Austin - Burnet County

Rose bush gets plenty of water(not overwatered at all) and is fertilized with organic 8-2-4 fertilizer and foliar fed every few weeks with seaweed extract.

We have a nice rose bush that was here when we bought the house that produces nice pink flowers...not sure what type of rose?? The problem is with the buds before they open. They seems to be blackend around the edges and almost look dead before thay open up into a nice flower. I do not see any critters crawling around except for a few leaves a grasshopper has chewed (I think)so I was wondering if anyone else has exerienced this problem. Sorry I have no way of postings a picture unless someone can tell me how... Please help since my wife is trying to talk me into cutting it down.
Thanks in advance!

_________________
Jeff

YOu seem to be infested with thrips. Treat thrips with lady beetles up top and beneficial nematodes in the soil. They crawl up into the buds and cause the effect you describe.

To revive your plant, go ahead and cut off all the ugly blooms. Then spread some cornmeal (2-3 cups) around its feet, work it into the soil and water it in. Then ad some compost tea and fish emulsion to your foliar feed. They have nutrients and beneficial microbes you don't get with just seaweed, but don't omit the seaweed because it is beneficial also. A really great foliar feed solution is Bioform liquid. You can get it at most area Lowe's stores and several independents in the Austin area. Or go visit John Dromgoole's place in southwest Austin and get a foliar feed combination product from his excellent stock.

This combination should bring your rose bush back to bursting health and beautiful blooms. Give it a week or so and you should see new buds and flowers and new leaf growth too.

Hope that helps!
Kathe