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Roses
Dave Wicking
Posts: 5
The leaves on all my rose bushes in various parts of the garden have turned pink with dark green blotches. Never had this before. Any ideas what it is and is it treatable please? Thanks.
0
Posts
Crikey, never seen that before! Not a trick question is it?
Have you or your neighbours been using glyphosate on the garden? It doesn't look like any of the usual problems such as mildew, black spot, rust, aphids etc.
If not it could be rose rosette virus, in which case you need to report it. Here is what the RHS says:-
This could be the result of virus infection, but a much more common cause is contamination of the plant by the weedkiller glyphosate. The leaves described above often develop in the season following contamination, in small clusters of pale green or pinkish-red leaves, resembling mini witches’ brooms.
Rose rosette virus, transmitted by microscopic eriophyid mites, is a problem in the USA and Canada, but is yet to be confirmed in the UK. Some of the symptoms produced are very similar to those caused by glyphosate contamination as described above. If you can rule out glyphosate contamination as the cause of the symptoms affecting your plant, and suspect that Rose rosette virus could be responsible, you should report this to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on telephone number 01904 405 138 or by email at [email protected]
The whole article on pests and problems is here -
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=776
The only times I've seen anything like that it's been due to weed killer damage. Is it possible that a contaminated watering can or sprayer has been used on your roses?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Stupidly used same sprayer as had been used for weed killer before. Rinsed it out but obviously not properly.
Oh dear! I had a feeling that might be the case .......... keep a separate sprayer!!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Absolutely - separate sprayer for weedkiller but, better still, stop spraying against pests.
A healthy, well fed rose will fight of attacks form aphids and if you feed the garden birds all year round the tits and sparrows will hoover up aphids to feed to their chicks because they can't take them water and aphids and caterpillars provide lovely juicy proteins.
If you get black spot just pick off the affected leaves and destroy. Do not compost them. Roses need a generous feed of slow release fertiliser every spring, an occasional tonic of liquid tomato food up until the end of June and a good weeding and then a mulch of well rotted manure or garden compost in autumn after some decent rain.
Since there is still some green left on the leaves they may be savable. Use a clean watering can with a rosette and pour over a solution of liquid tomato food or liquid seaweed with a drop or two of washing up liquid to help it adhere to the leaves. Do this once every few days until you see some improvement and then just keep them moist in dry spells. Cross your fingers and toes.
No aphids on this rose bush. Hasn't been sprayed ... not ever ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.