I do not spray anything but insecticidal soap in April for aphids. Do you all have any suggestions regarding how to handle this problem on a "young plant"? Please help.

Lynn

I tend to not think of it as a problem and ignore it, because it goes away by itself when the weather gets warmer/drier and I won't see it again until next December, maybe. Those leaves would or should be gone, in any case, if I weren't so lazy; sometimes I strip them off if I get tired of the "ugly".

It seemed to me based upon posts that some people remove roses prone to blackspot from their gardens because it is unsightly or they use different organic and chemical measures to remedy the situation. Is there no fear of death, stunted growth etc,. relative to such an infection on a young plant?

Just wonder if yours will get better resistance as it grows bigger?

Another consideration, Lynn, is that even though you and I have only nominal "winter" (winter temps in Livermore and Las Vegas more or less similar, though Livermore doesn't get so hot in the summer), roses are still not doing much this time of the year, even with leaves still on, and are not likely to suffer too much stress from leaf loss. My neighbor across the street, a true rosarian, actually strips all the leaves off his many roses to enforce dormancy (I can only stand in awe!).

As my susceptible roses only tend to lose leaves they "should" lose, or in worst case, only the first flush of spring leaves, I tend to not worry, even if they are young. Now, if it became year-round, serial loss of leaves (as happened in MA where I have also grown roses -- some obviously the wrong ones, because they dwindled away and died from the fungal pressure), then it could be a problem.

I think BD is tough as an old boot, and I certainly don't see BS on her other times of the year, though PM does occur later.

Here's the image.

I also follow the protocol of stripping all of the leaves from, and cut down mature, grafted roses right about now. The pruning cuts are sealed and the roses are sprayed with dormant oil. Most of what is in my yard now is new, so no winter pruning or "forcing dormancy" will occur for years. I cleaned up my mature climbers today but that's it for the season.

BD is resistant to blackspot in most gardens, but it is quite susceptible to cercospora spot disease. If you can get sharply focussed images of spots, we'll take a look. Cercospora spots show through to the underside of the leaf, and old spots can develop into large areas of dead brown.

If you defoliate and collect the old diseased leaves, that will interrupt the cycle. It spreads by airborne spores from old and fallen leaves in mild weather with rain. Leaves can live for a couple of months after infection.

Thank you for your response.

The underside of the leaves are clean. Many on the antiques forum thought the issue is frost damage. The rose has not been sprayed with anything, and the issue has only existed for about three weeks.

I purchased a larger own root plant to replace this one. I will likely place it in a 2-3 gallon pot and replant it next month someplace else in my garden or gift it to a relative when it becomes healthier.

Random thought. Maybe someone who has real experience/knowledge on the subject can shed some light....

No. Weeds grow like crazy here; actually many roses do too. Xeriscape gardens like mine are very common in many parts of the Southwest. These yards the often include decorative rock, well, for decoration. It also helps to suppress weeds.

The rose in the photo has a 2" layer of mulch surrounding it, and then the rock is surrounding the outer layer of the mulch.

Kate