I'm right outside of Nashville, TN. Earlier this year my neighbor came over and asked me to come look at her roses (Knockouts). I was horrified to discover she had rose rosette disease.

Actually, at the time I first saw it I didn't really know what it was: I had only a vague idea that it was something "bad," but couldn't remember the particulars. I advised her to remove that cane back to the ground and watch for any recurrence. I later googled and found all kinds of info, including Ann's e-book.

Fast forward two months later: Last weekend I noticed it on one of my Knockouts. :( The end bush of a row of 15, planted behind our fence to appease a neighbor who hates wooden fences but loves Red Knockouts.

Like I imagine most people react when it is first discovered in their garden, I tried to kid myself that if I cut the affected canes back, maybe it wouldn't return. Today, five days later, I had three more canes. Shrub was shovel pruned within the hour.

I am almost 100% sure it is RRD. Witches broom, stems just flop over when you touch them, and they were positively covered with those small, soft thorns.

So anyway...I know several of you have dealt with this in your gardens, and I'm wondering how nervous I should be about losing my other roses? I have the row of 15 Knockouts that I can really take or leave because they're behind and outside our fence anyway. But I have a smaller group of five White Knockouts that I am absolutely in love with, as well as a few others: Zephirine Drouhin, an old Lady Banks, Mutabilis, Crepuscule, Morden Sunrise, a couple of Pink Knockouts...etc. Not a huge collection, but there are some I'm pretty attached to.

I'm not a sprayer, so my plan is to watch them all closely and remove at first sight (instead of trying the "prune the cane back and wait" thing). Has anyone else taken this approach, and how well did it work for you?

Thanks for sharing any stories of RRD in your garden.

Connie

PS Ann, I'm just 2-3 miles from Ellington Ag Center. :)

Just dug up the latest one (#4) yesterday.

Kate

How far it spreads depends on whether the mites are still on the infected plant. Before I knew anything about RRD, I worked in three gardens where one rose had RRD and the others never got it. I kept cutting the sick canes off. I think the winter and the drought must have killed the mites. The rose had the disease, but the mite that carried it was gone.