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Rose Arch Problem

richard.wait29richard.wait29 Posts: 1
in Problem solving
I have recently moved into a property with a rose arch. It has several roses growing on and over it which are well established (probably several years old). The majority of the leaves are covered in black spots and I would like to know if I can prune it now or whether it should be left until the autumn. Most of the blooms have been and gone

Posts

  • findmandyfindmandy Posts: 3
    Try spraying with Rose Clear, it is very effective at eliminating black spot, (if you will use it).
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Pick off and destroy affected leaves.  Do not compost them.  prune out any obvious dead, weak or broken stems and give the roses a good drink of water - 15 litres each - and then another a day or so later laced with rose or tomato liquid feed.   

    This will all help give vigour and improve air flow.  For climbers, any wayward stems can be pruned shorter in autumn to stop them flapping about in teh gales and getting damaged.  Then you do the main pruning in Feb/March when the worst frosts are over. 

    Give them a good mulch of well=rotted compost or some other soil improver in autumn and a good dollop of slow release fertiliser in spring after pruning.  Keep watered in dry spells.

    Black spot is a fungal infection which can be treated with sprays like Rose Clear but it also kills insects so I don't use it.   The RHS offers this advice which includes nonchemical and chemical controls - https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/rose-black-spot    
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  • edhelkaedhelka Posts: 2,351
    edited July 2022
    There is some chance that the roses will repeat bloom later in the season. Depending on their varieties.
    Also depending on their varieties, the majority of leaves with black spot can be a normal occurrence for them at this time of the year.
    It really depends on you, how you want to go about it. If you want the roses tidy and spotless or if you can tolerate some disease.
    You could give them a lot of water and some liquid feed, remove the infected leaves and lightly prune if they are overgrown. This way, the roses should grow new leaves and if they are repeat blooming, you should still get some blooms.
    If you want to spray, you can do it too but it needs to be used as a preventative measure. It kills the spores but it won't remove the spots that are already there.
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