Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
wpark2419

What rose disease is this??

wpark2419
10 years ago

I have 3 rose bushes that all look sick and have reddish colored spots on the leaves. From google it looks like rust and black spot are the most common diseases for roses but I'd like to be sure what it is before I try to treat it. Also, would using a spray on fungicide be the best way to treat this? Thanks in advance!

Comments (7)

  • wpark2419
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I also have this photo, although I'm not sure where the lines came from, but you can see that some of the spots are more of a brown/black as well as the red.

  • michaelg
    10 years ago

    The pale leaves with greener veins show iron deficiency. This is caused by a high (alkaline) pH. You could scratch in 1/2 cup of sulfur in the square yard around the plant. This takes about a year to work. Fertilizing with Miracle Gro for Acid Loving Plants (or Miracid or whatever they call it nowadays) will usually help. If it is planted next to concrete, that makes soil more alkaline.

    The purple ring spots could be spot anthracnose or cercospora fungal disease. If the centers drop out, leaving holes with purple rims, it is anthracnose. This disease should stop spreading once the summer heats up. If it is cercospora, Bayer Disease Control for Roses with prevent it from spreading.

    The brown leaves with tan circles around the rim are burnt, very likely from over-fertilizing. Be sure to follow the label and water copiously if you have overdone it.

    Is there a tag naming the rose? And where do you live? Knowing the answers can improve our advice.

  • wpark2419
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the information! I purchased a 3 in 1 fungicide today that contains neem oil (I got the 3 in 1 because I also have an aphid problem) so I'll spray them all down and see if that helps. I live in zone 5 (Idaho) and it's been cooler and wetter than normal so far this spring which is why I was thinking fungus. I don't think the roses could possibly be over fertilized...I hardly ever fertilize them and they've been given nothing since last summer, and when I did last summer I probably only gave them 2 or 3 doses of miracle grow all season. I don't remember what any of them are called. They were all purchased at Walmart and Kmart.

  • jean001a
    10 years ago

    Fungicide protects new growth. It won't make all/any of those spots go away.

    I suggest the burnt (brown dry) leaf edges could be due to a water shortage.

  • wpark2419
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I know a fungicide won't make any of the spots go away, but it does prevent it from spreading and getting worse, right? I see now there are a few spots on my favorite miniature rose which is nowhere near the others so I'm hoping I can stop the spreading. I've sprayed all my roses now.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    one other thing i dont see mentioned ...

    NEVER water in the evening.. by spraying down the plant ...

    molds/mildews/etc.. thrive in the dark.. at night. when it balmy ... and wetting the leaves.. just encourages them ...

    it is the sole reason i bought and use a breaker bar.. otherwise known as a watering wand ...

    roses are one of the few plants.. where you must water the soil .. not the plant ... which can be problematic ... if you have a sprinkler system ...

    also .. consider getting a more carefree variety ... i gave up on roses ... because of all the feeding.. spraying.. etc ... many are just too foo.. as in foo foo ...

    ken

  • agardenstateof_mind
    10 years ago

    Just getting back to GardenWeb after a long distraction.

    If that 3-in-1 product contains imidacloprid, just be aware that that chemical is suspected of causing the decline of honey bees and several of our native bees, particularly bumble bees. The insecticide is systemic - taken up into the plant tissues - and often present in the pollen and nectar, delivering a sub-lethal dose to the foraging insect, which transports it back to the nest or hive where it is fed to the developing larvae or stored for future use.

    To choose the best roses for your region, check to see if your local or state Rose Society has a list of such roses. Ours has their list of recommended roses and "no-spray" roses on their web site.

    Roses are more vigorous than most people give them credit for. Do your best to meet their cultural requirements for best results. I focus on adding plenty of organic matter (compost) to my sandy soil to improve soil structure, water retention, fertility and biological activity and I feed the roses well, but never after Labor Day, as they need to stop pushing new growth that won't have time to harden off before frost.

    If you are going to start any kind of spray or soil drench regimen, it is important to follow the directions as to rates and timing - you cannot let up or you give the fungus a window of opportunity to infect your plants.