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jrtack_in_il

Help with Roses

JrTack_in_IL
9 years ago

Hi all, last year I planted what are called knock out roses. I am not sure that this is a local name or what the real name is.

Yesterday I noticed some leaves that had small holes, some leaves with small white spots and a couple of leaves with brown curled tips.

I am completely new to roses. Can anyone help identify the problem and offer a solution?

I was going to post 4 pictures but it looks like it only lets you post one.

I am in north east IL in Will county if this helps.

Thank you in advance.

Comments (6)

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    That looks like the start of rose slug damage to your leaves... Be glad you caught it early... It sort of a luck of the draw... You could do nothing and the damage might not get to bad OR damage could get very ugly... Depends...

    Rose slugs look like little greenish worms and can be found mainly underneath leaves...
    You can slide your hand underneath leaves to pull them off or just pick them off... This should be done when you first start seeing leaf damage on your bush...Then follow-up from time to time afterwards.

    Or spray the top/bottom/canes of the rose bush leaves with a Spinosad product. Spot test spray a few leaves first to make sure they are not sensitive to the spray.

    Safer Soap product also works... Follow all directions carefully for best results...

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    Usually in a couple weeks good predator bugs come along and destroy the rose slugs--unless you have been using insecticides in the past and thus have destroyed the good predator bugs in your yard.

    Often the damage to the leaves that we see is what was caused earlier by the rose slugs which are gone now but the leaf damage remains.

    At any rate, check the underside of leaves for teeny, tiny green "worms"--squish them or toss them into the lawn--they aren't likely to find their way back.

    Kate

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    I don't speak to much about predator bugs Kate because here there is none to take care of 1 inch long rose slugs besides the occasional bird or some predator wasps which seem to only show up in force toward the end of the season....Alittle too late...
    Some areas rose slugs will eat the entire bush of its leaves and only picking them off or spraying will help if done early enough...

    Just depends on your area and what type of predators you have ...And year to year damage will be different...

  • subk3
    9 years ago

    I get massive rose slug damage. I've held off on using chemicals, but I've been waiting 3 years for the predator bugs to show up and they have yet to arrive. My refusal to get rid of wasps' nest is driving the husband batty.

  • Kippy
    9 years ago

    I think that not having a mono culture of just one plant has helped draw in the birds.

  • cecily
    9 years ago

    Hello JrTack, welcome to the rose forum. I think your foliage looks terrific. The slug damage is minimal and I wouldn't spray at this point -- rose slugs appear in early spring and vanish when the weather heats up. Sort of like aphids -- a large number appear when the bushes first leaf out and then only minimal numbers for the rest of the growing season. Your roses are in good shape, enjoy the flowers.

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