On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:34:33 -0500 (EST), "Shiva"
wrote:


"Heidi" wrote in message news:72YOb.244740
...
Help!

Two weeks ago, I sprayed three rose bushes (one Buttercream HT, and 2
JFK HT's) with a copper sulfate solution. I had looked up on the bottle
the proper water:chem ratio, so it should have been correct. A week
after I sprayed the roses, it snowed here in NC. The snow only lasted a
few days, and we've had temps about freezing lately.

This week, I noticed that my 2 JFK's look good, but almost all the
leaves on my Buttercream have turned brown. It looks like it is ready
to kick the bucket.

Was it the copper sulfate solution? Was it the snow? Is this normal,
and will my rose bush recover? Should I prune it down to help it out?

Hi Heidi--

You sprayed copper sulfate for what reason? It is a so-called "dormant spray," right? Right! It is
supposed to help kill off any overwintering fungus so you start out with a cleat slate in the
spring, right?

When roses are dormant, they are not supposed to have leaves, or their leaves should already by
brown, right?

You live in this weird place where we have winter, but don't really have winter, so dormancy is
kind of iffy, right?

Right to all, right?

Relax, kid, it is January. Your roses, if they have leaves, are supposed to have brown leaves. If
the copper sulfate didn't do it, the SNOW did.

Let me know if the dormant spray seems to help next spring. I might try it.

Shiva in Raleigh, NC

Besides, dormant spray *should* generally defoliate the roses. That's
why you wait until dormancy to use it.

Don't worry about the leaves, worry about the canes (unless you live
in the Florida Keys or Brownsville, TX I suppose).

Gee, I sure wish I had done the dormant thing. I guess I still have
time though, as it's about 28 degrees today...