Having a rose garden comes with many benefits. You will enjoy some of the most brilliant color and fragrance in the world. However, roses like other flowers do experience problems with disease and pests. To ensure your rose garden remains healthy and gorgeous, you need to know what to look for and then take appropriate action.
Keep in mind that with diseases, they do vary depending on the region in which you live. Regardless, these are some of the most common diseases associated with roses, along with the best treatment option.
•Black Spot – With this disease, you will see black spots, thus the name. They generally appear on the stems and leaves. Over time, the diseased leaves will fall off, leaving the plant to look bare and sickly. For treatment, a mixture of dormant oil and lime sulfur applied prior to the appearance of any new growth in the spring will work. However, you do need to make sure that the diseased branches and leaves are removed, along with any that have fallen on the ground. The reason for this is to ensure the disease does not spread further.
•Powdery Mildew – With this disease, you will see what looks like white fuzz on the leaves and sometimes, the new buds. If you do not treat this disease, it will spread to the rest of the bush, killing all the foliage. However, the best treatments include using a commercial spray or if you prefer, mix three tablespoons baking soda, two tablespoons vegetable oil, and one gallon of water. This mixture should be sprayed on the top and underneath portions of the bush in the morning. Although the damaged leaves will not get better, it will help eliminate the spread of further disease.
•Rust – This disease appears are spots of rust on the underneath portion of the leaves, which again, is how the name came to be. The best treatment is identical to what you would use for Black Spot.
•When it comes to roses, there are many pests to battle. For example, aphids, Japanese beetles, mealy bugs, rose borers, and white flies are just a few of the bigger problems. In most cases, these pests are easy to get rid of, if you identify them immediately.
In most cases, these and other pests can be controlled using insecticidal soap or even spraying them off with water. The best solution is to use something organic, which will not harm the plant. Additionally, Neem Oil is a somewhat new product that is beneficial to both disease and insects. This oil is form the Neem tree and can be purchased at most home improvement stores and gardening centers.