[hubballi]

I have had a white climbing rose Penny lane on the outside of our house for some years. It has had blackspot every year but nothing serious.

This year it was covered in aphids in spring so I sprayed it with soapy water which got rid of them. I also picked off the blackspoted/yellowing leaves. I also treated the ground around it with soot from the chimney as it is supposed to cure blackspot.

Now there isn't hardly a leaf on it and the few that are left are all yellow and withered. Is this finished or would cutting it harsh back solve the problem ?

[Goosegirl]

Was the soot produced from burning coal, wood or smokeless fuel? If it was coal or wood, was it left outside to weather for about 6 months so the rain can leach away any tar and excess by products? It's the sulphur in the soot that controls blackspot but I wonder if it was too fresh to use. I would cut it back harshly in early spring as roses seem to take this in their stride if they are basically healthy - there's nothing lost because you would be pruning out any stems affected with blackspot and it might invigorate it as long as you give it a good feed and put plenty of home made compost on, or manure around (not touching) the main stems. If you leave it, it might be ok but pruning should stimulate it to put out fresh shoots which you can train again as you wish - it depends on how it was health and framework-wise and what other advice you get.