subject: How Bad Is Rose Disease Really [print this page] How Bad Is Rose Disease Really How Bad Is Rose Disease Really
Do not fear rose disease as there are some simple ways in which you can keep your roses disease free without resorting to toxic chemical substances. But what rose disease are there and what do they look like? Someone new to growing roses might think twice about it when they look at the extensive list of rose diseases and pests. And although there are potentially many disease and pests that could attack your roses there are some good preventative measure you can take. The rose disease and pest list here is not exhaustive but the most important ones for you to know about are listed plus how to prevent them.There are plenty of non-toxic (for us and our roses not for the pest or disease) strategies to prevent rose disease from happening and to ward off any rose pests that might come snooping around. One hugely important one is to have a varied garden, so no mono-culture. Always have other flowering plants nearby as well as herbs and even vegetables. By emulating nature you will create a healthy balanced garden environment in which disease and pests do not easily get a foot hold. Of course you can have the roses as a stand alone feature but do have some herbs not too far off.Rose disease is much more likely to affect a plant if it is stressed. A rose that is well fed, watered and pruned is either not going to be affected by a disease at all or if it is it will be able to resist it and especially with a little help from you the gardener overcome it all together. There certain nutrients that are most important to make rose be resistant to fungal rose diseases. The main one is potassium. Trace elements also play an important role.
Rose Disease - Fungal.
Downy mildew and Rust are usually mild and not a big problem.
Powdery mildew is found on the top surface of the leaves and is white and powdery.
Botrytis blight looks greyish brownish on flowers and will rot the plant and make flowers die early.
Black spot are spots on the leaves and leaves will be lost.
Stem canker enters a plant via a cut and if it enters the crown will kill the entire plant. The way to not have this disease is to work with clean tools that get wiped between plants.With any fungal rose disease it is important remember that fungi like humid weather and wet leaves. Always water your roses in the early part of the day. Prune regularly to keep fungal disease at bay but make sure to wipe your snips with a cloth soaked in vinegar or a hydrogen peroxide and water solution. Viral Rose Diseases are a serious concern and it is best to establish that any roses you buy in are virus free. For instance the Rose mosaic virus looks like mottling and a mosaic yellowing in the shape of an oak leaf plus distorted flowers . This virus is only spread by unsterilised tools. And then there is Rose wilt which makes the leaves and also other parts of the rose curl downward and leaves will drop early. The color of the leaves is faint and the plant does not grow well. With rose wilt the whole plant needs to be disposed off. Do not put it in your compost through hit our completely. These two are the main ones to look out for but unfortunately there are more viral diseases although they do not tend to affect roses as much. Some Rose Pests are:
Thrips, Red spider mites, Aphids, White fly, Caterpillars and so on.
A poly-culture garden will keep these pests from taking over. Even though they might be present they are not likely to cause a major problem in a poly-culture.Grow a "nature " garden and you will have healthy balanced plant life that can withstand any passing rose disease or pest. Organic rose gardening will help you spend more time admiring your roses than crying over them. Set your garden up right and that long list of rose diseases and pests will no longer worry you.
