GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

11-06-2003, 08:08 PM

(Bill Oliver) wrote in message ...
At the moment they are are very green, but in a couple of weeks, all
the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. It starts with a few
black spots, then the entire leaf turns yellow, and then falls
off. By the end of the summer, all I have are green skeletons of
the bushes with a few new leaves where new growth is. It looks
like something out of an Addams Family movie.

By now, you know it's blackspot. I go through the same thing each
season since I don't use like to use chemical sprays . Do you know if
some of your bushes are more resistant to blackspot than others? This
year, I decided I have had enough and so am getting rid of the bush
that gets it early (Patient X). I know for a fact that the surrounding
bushes are much more blackspot resistant and have been getting an
extra helping of the blackspot from the Patient X bush.

The varieties I have planted that are more resistant (that just means
they don't get done in as quickly by blackspot):
Gruss an Aachen
Buck rose "Amiga Mia"
Rose de Rescht
You can research more varieties that are blackspot resistant.
I usually pluck off and get rid of the infected leaves at first sight.
This will delay the time somewhat before they become skeletons.
I also prune in a open style and make sure there's lots of air
circulation.

Hope this helps.

--Reva Narasimhan
Zone 6 NJ