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Roses

Maddie54Maddie54 Posts: 10
in Problem solving
Hello
Hope you are all ok.
A couple of my shrub roses have weird looking leaves and buds…..any ideas?

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2021
    Hi @Maddie54 😊 
    Have they been sprayed with anything?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I think it may be severe sawfly larvae damage - the larvae look like tiny green caterpillars and feed on the fleshy, underside of the leaves, leaving a see-through lacy effect on top. Have a look under the leaves to see if you can spot any, especially the newly suffering ones with just a little damage as they move around to fresh pastures.

    As to the brown buds, could be weather-related, or a fungal infection called botyris blight. Can we see a photo of the whole rose bush to see the overall health and soil underneath?
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Maddie54Maddie54 Posts: 10
    Thank you for your response. Under the roses are garden geranium and bark chippings. I haven’t sprayed the roses. I fed them in April with rose food.

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Thanks for the extra photos, yes I would say definitely sawfly larvae damage. There has been a lot of those green wriggly monsters about this year. My rose foliage has been pretty decimated by them too. I picked off the worst of the leaves, gave my roses a good feed and water, cleared around the base and gave them a fresh mulch of compost. The roses grew new foliage, although I am constantly checking for and squishing new critters, so you have to be vigilant.

    I can’t see any signs of botyris blight though, as the canes and stems behind the buds would be going brown too, so probably just damp weather has caused the odd bud to brown and fail to open. Your rose does look a bit crowded with other plants around the base, which can reduce airflow, exacerbate dampness on the leaves and new buds and encourage fungal issues. So you might want to consider giving the rose more space to breathe.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Maddie54Maddie54 Posts: 10
    Hi Nollie

    Thank you for your reply.
    After you had said about sawfly I did some research about their lifecycle and now to deal with them organically.
    I will move the under planting and give the roses a feed and fresh mulch as you suggested.
    Thank you, really appreciate your thoughts 😊
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    You’re very welcome 😊 
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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