On Tue, 24 May 2005 17:15:21 +0000, Doug Kanter wrote:

edit
OK...it could be botrytis. But, I was providing one answer which is
guaranteed to be accurate 100% of the time: Flowers fade. I think it's
going to be especially true with a plant that's been living in a cardboard
box. So, I'd say, wait and see what happens for a month or two before
assuming there's a disease, and running out to buy all sorts of obnoxious
chemicals.


Nor did I make any recommendations either, just offering an option. Flower
fade (imho) would imply a natural process of decay, not decay instagated
by disease. If the flowers are browning off along with the new buds then
botrytis would be the proper diagnosis. These roses are just as likely to
have gotten botrytis during shipping as "flower fade" if they were shipped
in a cool, damp truck or stored in a damp cold frame.

In short, I never suggested or recommended the use of "obnoxious
chemicals" nor did I ever suggest that it was for sure botrytis. Please
reffer to the word "maybe" in my original post and if you followed the
link you would see that there are other options there on diseases and
non-chemical cures. Glad we could clear that up....... have a good day.

--
Yard Works Gardening Co.
http://www.ywgc.com