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Rose leaves turning white

NormandyLizNormandyLiz Posts: 788
in Problem solving
Hello, I am hoping someone can help identify a problem and find a solution. I have 3 small roses that I was given 2 months ago. I'm afraid I don't know the variety, only that they were red with double blooms.

The plants were all planted in a basket together and seemed to be doing well, with plenty of new growth appearing. I kept them inside due to frost, with regular but not excessive watering. 

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed some of the leave were turning white. This is not mildew type white on top of the leaves but the leaf actually losing colour. I removed the discoloured leaves but the problem continued. I have therefore replated them outside to separate them, and again removed and affected leaves. Still they turn white. I cannot see any visible insects, fungus, etc., just whitening leaves. You can see both an older leaf to the left and new growth to the right have the problem, but the plant seems happy otherwise. All 3 are affected.

Could someone point me in the right direction, please?



Posts

  • GrannybeeGrannybee Posts: 332
    Bump - someone will know- that’s the wonderful thing about this site.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Was it a gift basket type of thing often sold as ‘indoor roses’?  If so those are usually rose cuttings rather than grafted rose bushes, the latter have a different, tough root stock to the rose variety. They may have been struggling indoors, as there is no such thing as an indoor rose, but they will still be young and tender, having been forced into growth in a nursery, so they have probably equally had a shock being transplanted outside. A cold snap can discolour leaves. It also looks as if they are too close to the grass, which competes for nutrients with young trees and shrubs, including roses. I would be tempted to dig them up and put them in individual pots against a sheltered wall and nurse them along for a year before reintroducing them to your garden. Or just keep them as potted patio roses.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • NormandyLizNormandyLiz Posts: 788
    Thank you so much, Nollie. Yes, you are right that they were in a gift basket. They were in fact a 60th birthday present with a special meaning for me, which is why I'd like to keep them going.

    I'll do as you suggest and pot them individually and nurse them a bit more, rather than just releasing them into the wide world!

    You are very kind, thank you.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    You’re welcome, good luck and I really hope they pull through for you. But don’t blame yourself if they don’t 😊 
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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