Roses with black spot
SueF11
Posts: 19
Last year I noticed that my new roses were losing their leaves and not growing much. I decided to dig them up and put them in pots. I was then told by a friend that they had black spot. I treated them with Rose Clear - since which they have doubled in size
I was thinking of replanting these in the flower border. However, our neighbour also has roses on her side of the fence/trellis and I have noticed that the leaves have some black spots - I think my plants may have got blackspot from her plants last year - as mine are about 2ft tall, her's are 5ft tall!
Is there any way of stopping my roses getting black spot again?
I have recently planted a climbing rose in the border - but I'm now wondering if I have made the wrong decision and should move it before it gets black spot.
My aim was to hide the neighbour's derelict shed and introduce some colour in the back corner of the garden. I tried a clematis last year but this died off. I think because of the very dry soil.
Open to suggestions that are;
a) climbers, b) drought tolerant, c) don't require a lot of maintenance, d) colourful and e) will create a "screen" to hide the neighbours mess.
Posts
Black spot travels in the air. My roses got it and nobody else is growing roses in any of the surrounding houses. Its just one of those things unfortunately. You could try growing resistant varieties. Make sure you clear all the dead leaves in winter as the spores can overwinter in the dead leaves.
I spray my roses with a mix of sodium bicarb and washing up liquid. This will stop uninfected parts of the rose for catching it but will not cure diseased branches. You can also use rose clear. Climbing roses tend not to be as susceptible as the braches tend to have good airflow around them stopping any damp conditions the fungus loves. Pruning bush roses to have an open centre improves airflow. You could also prune out infected foliage
I have found as my roses have established more it hasn’t been such a problem. Digging them up has probably weakened them making them more susceptible.
What type of clematis did you try as clematis montanna are much easier to grow than other species and may grow well if watered well in the first year.
Feed them in spring and water in dry spells as well
If you're spraying against black spot it has to be preventive - ie, spray before any sign of infection. Same as spraying against any sort of airborne fungal spores. It doesn't guarantee your plant won't be affected but it's about the only defence you have. Plus, of course, good garden housekeeping.
I agree with Italophile, try and pick up all the infected leaves around the bush when they fall. The spores can stay in the soil. I also give a good thick mulch around my bushes to try and stop the spores.
Yes, collect the fallen infected leaves and destroy or bin them. Don't compost them.