"Sandra Bodycoat" wrote in message
...
Hi
I was looking at my roses the other day & noticed that some branches had
this brown scale etc over them & where it was the branch died, what is
this & how can I remedy it?
thanks
Sandra


It is called dieback and all you can do is remove it at the annual prune
July/August. I usually cut down below that point to an outward facing bud.
The worst case is the remove the whole branch at the base. Unfortunately in
my experience it gets worse each year and eventually the rose bush carks.

The reasons for it happening is the rootstock is not supporting what is
above. By this I mean it hasn't been grafted onto fortuniana rootstock,
which is essential in WA. In days gone by they used Dr Huey but after 20
years they go pear shape and start a downward spiral healthwise. Also if it
is on Fortuniana stock it has to be healthy. From experience rose bushes
grown in Manjimup on the stock have been the most vigorous I have seen.
Growers of rose bushes are reluctant to use fortuniana as a root stock
because less than 30% of cuttings will produce roots. Whereas Dr Huey will
be around 95%

I see now the big hardware chains get their roses from such places as Darwin
and the first frost they encounter in Perth usually sets them back and they
never recover.

Always sterilise your tools in a bleach solution 1 part bleach to 10 parts
water. Dip your tools between bushes. This will stop any disease being
transferred from one bush to another.