Mini creatures on my rose
 

Maybe a few of you will remember my mini roses that were drooping - they soon came back to life and looked gorgeous after advice I was given.
Well they're suffering again! Even though a trusted friend was looking after them and did her best, I returned to find them looking dry and crispy, although they seemed to have been watered as they should.

They're covered in a canopy of webs, which I assume is from a spider, or in this case hundreds of teeny tiny spiders. Could these be affecting the plant? They're not much bigger than a milimetre long, with a dark brown body and light, translucent-looking legs and heads - are there any other creatures that make webs - it's a blanket sort of web - or are they newly-born spiders?

There are also little black dots on the leaves - is this a related problem? I don't really want to kill them if they're spiders but there are hundreds of them - will they affect the plant in any way? If they're not spiders, how should I get rid of them?

I think I will take my roses with me when I go away in future...

Mercy

It sounds like spider mites.

You need a pesticide that is effective on spiders as most insecticides won't
eliminate them.

The black dots are hard to diagnose with the limited description. Are they
on the top or bottom of the leaves?
It MIGHT be black spot or anthractnose.

Tim



"Mercy" wrote in message
...

Maybe a few of you will remember my mini roses that were drooping - they
soon came back to life and looked gorgeous after advice I was given.
Well they're suffering again! Even though a trusted friend was looking
after them and did her best, I returned to find them looking dry and
crispy, although they seemed to have been watered as they should.

They're covered in a canopy of webs, which I assume is from a spider,
or in this case hundreds of teeny tiny spiders. Could these be
affecting the plant? They're not much bigger than a milimetre long,
with a dark brown body and light, translucent-looking legs and heads -
are there any other creatures that make webs - it's a blanket sort of
web - or are they newly-born spiders?

There are also little black dots on the leaves - is this a related
problem? I don't really want to kill them if they're spiders but there
are hundreds of them - will they affect the plant in any way? If
they're not spiders, how should I get rid of them?

I think I will take my roses with me when I go away in future...

Mercy


--
Mercy

Oh lordy. Thanks for the info. Are these likely to have been hiding on the plant for a while? We've had a lot of cut flowers in the house recently - maybe they hitchced a ride?

As for the black spots - they seem to be mostly on the top side of the leaves, but also on the underside. There aren't too many on the leaves and they're very tiny. A lot of the leaves have dropped off, with stems attached. It's not looking good, is it?

Mercy

Leaves affected by spider mites usually turn gray/silver although what you
are seeing may be a result of the mites.

They have been there a while if you are seeing webs, you may have to spray a
miticide several times. Be sure to get the underside of the leaves as well
as the surface of the soil.

Tim


"Mercy" wrote in message
...

Oh lordy. Thanks for the info. Are these likely to have been hiding on
the plant for a while? We've had a lot of cut flowers in the house
recently - maybe they hitchced a ride?

As for the black spots - they seem to be mostly on the top side of the
leaves, but also on the underside. There aren't too many on the leaves
and they're very tiny. A lot of the leaves have dropped off, with stems
attached. It's not looking good, is it?

Mercy

Tim Tompkins Wrote:
It sounds like spider mites.

You need a pesticide that is effective on spiders as most insecticides
won't
eliminate them.

The black dots are hard to diagnose with the limited description. Are
they
on the top or bottom of the leaves?
It MIGHT be black spot or anthractnose.

Tim



"Mercy" wrote in message
...-

Maybe a few of you will remember my mini roses that were drooping -
they
soon came back to life and looked gorgeous after advice I was given.
Well they're suffering again! Even though a trusted friend was
looking
after them and did her best, I returned to find them looking dry and
crispy, although they seemed to have been watered as they should.

They're covered in a canopy of webs, which I assume is from a spider,
or in this case hundreds of teeny tiny spiders. Could these be
affecting the plant? They're not much bigger than a milimetre long,
with a dark brown body and light, translucent-looking legs and heads
-
are there any other creatures that make webs - it's a blanket sort of
web - or are they newly-born spiders?

There are also little black dots on the leaves - is this a related
problem? I don't really want to kill them if they're spiders but
there
are hundreds of them - will they affect the plant in any way? If
they're not spiders, how should I get rid of them?

I think I will take my roses with me when I go away in future...

Mercy


--
Mercy-


--
Mercy

Yes, I think you're probably right there. The leaves did go a dull green-grey colour - they looked kind of dusty. Not that there are any leaves left now. I obviously didn't get to them in time. My friend who was watering them thought they were baby spiders so left them to it, as did I when I saw the first tiny web.

So now I have four twigs in a pot. But at least they're green twigs. Will it just die off now, or will it live through to see another year? I know I sound dense but I'm only a beginner.

Thanks for all your help!

Mercy