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alisidewinder06

my roses need help!

AliSidewinder06
10 years ago

My poor rose bush. I have no idea what is going on with it. It is loosing a lot of leaves, many of the branches have died, its not producing nearly as many roses as last year. its very sick. I have tried fertilizer, mulch, pruning, trimming, I have done just about everything. I'm afraid I am making it worse. It does not help that I can not determine which species of rose it is.

This bush is very important to me. My long term boyfriend got it for me because he wanted me to have roses all year long not just on special occasions. He found this rose bush growing in the wild and brought it home for me. Then it was standing 6 feet tall. It transferred well and has been in it's new home for 3 years and was perfectly fine. Now it stands 10 feet tall and has been looking sickly the past couple of months. I am at my end I don't know what else to do. I am a novice and I turn to the advice of experts. Please someone help.

Comments (16)

  • michaelg
    10 years ago

    It has probably been defoliated by blackspot disease, which shows yellowing behind dark spots with the leaf dropping after a couple of weeks. Blackspot can be controlled by applying fungicide every two weeks throughout the growing season. One of the most effective products is Bayer Advanced Disease Control for Roses, Flowers, and Shrubs (that exact name, not any other Bayer product-- try Lowe's or go online). Apply it with a pump-up tank sprayer.

    I would cut it back to about 3 feet, removing any dead canes, and withhold fertilizer until it has plenty of new green leaves. Roses will need 3 gallons of water twice a week during warm weather.

    This post was edited by michaelg on Tue, Oct 8, 13 at 16:07

  • seil zone 6b MI
    10 years ago

    Follow Michael's advice and give it some time. Black spot usually doesn't kill the rose, just the leaves, but it can weaken it over time because the plant doesn't have enough viable leaves to feed it. If you keep it sprayed the leaves should grow back and the plant will too.

  • AliSidewinder06
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Good thing he works at lowe's so i'll have him pick some up. Is it safe with animals? We have dogs and a cat that likes to lay under the bush.

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    10 years ago

    AliSidewinder06,

    Directions say children and pets should NOT enter the
    sprayed area until it has dried...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Click here for another thread on safety of Bayer product..

  • thonotorose
    10 years ago

    AliSW,

    I think you have that bush planted too deep. If there is a graft (knob) at the base, it should be above the surface. Also, Pull that mulch away from the trunk.

    We've had a tremendous amount of rain here this year. Has it been in swampy ground? That could also affect it's health.

  • AliSidewinder06
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I'll pull the mulch away from it. I'm also afraid that it might not be getting enough sun. It's hard to tell but there is actually a tree right next to it that has branches covering about 4 feet above it. I am purchasing a branch trimmer this weekend and hopefully the weather will be nice so I can actually get out there and work it. Yea I am in NE Florida so it has rained practically everyday for about 3 weeks. However the area that I planted it in is a bit higher and our backyard drains very well since we have a pond behind our property, any excess water drains into the pond so no swampy still water. It has definitely remained wet. I am becoming concerned that it might develop rot. it has yet to at least from what I see above ground.

    I didn't notice a knot near the base, but I will double check just to make sure.

  • susan4952
    10 years ago

    This little garden scene has good potential. Are u building flagstone steps? With a rose in the middle? Totally cute.

  • susan4952
    10 years ago

    Probably no graft site if found in the wild. It is a pretty rose.

  • AliSidewinder06
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The stone steps behind it is actually a waterfall we are putting in with it flowing into a koi pond that you see a corner of. There is a bridge that you can walk across it.

    This post was edited by AliSidewinder06 on Tue, Oct 8, 13 at 23:08

  • AliSidewinder06
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I am new to the site (my first day) can someone tell me how to post more than one pic to a post.

  • AliSidewinder06
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This was a rose from last year.

  • thonotorose
    10 years ago

    I want those dogs!!! So cute. Breed?

    You rose looks to me like it could use some iron sulfite to green it up a little. It also might be a good idea to root some pieces when you trim it back. Then, if you do lose the mama, you will have some replacements.

    I disagree about fertilizer. I would fertilize with a high nitrogen fertilizer, but I would not use very much. I think your rose looks just like many roses do at this time in Florida. If that is the case, it should green up soon.

    If you can get some horse manure, it would be terrific to mulch with it. Don't use super fresh,... just to be on the safe side. And not right up against the canes.

  • AliSidewinder06
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I am very much a novice. I do not know how to root clippings. I have MANY rose hips right now on the plant. When do I clip them? Can I plant those seeds? Or are they primarily used for tea and soaps?

    My pups, The one in the back is an Italian Greyhound, the other (black and tan) is a Miniature Pinscher and thank you :).

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    10 years ago

    I'm impressed with all your projects in progress. Hope to see photos of the finished work also.

    Posting pics: As long as you use GW's method of posting, you are limited to one pic per post.

    If you upload your pics to a service like photobucket.com (free), they give you a HTML CODE to click on for each pic. You copy and paste it into the message box here at GW and you can include as many HTML CODES as you wish.

    Kate

  • AliSidewinder06
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes we have many many many projects going on. Thanks for the info on posting pics. Guess I'll have to get photo bucket up and running again lol. Yes I will post pics of the finished project or as close to it as possible. Working on it today infact trying to move my desert rose from inside to out and same with one very stubborn aloe. We also have an orange tree growing in the back yard we recently found out. When we bought the house there was a vine choking what I thought was a dead tree. Well we trimmed the vines back and found out it was still alive the bottom was flourishing away from the vines and producing fruit. Needless to say we quickly did away with the vines to rescue the tree. The fruit it bares however is sour oranges.

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    10 years ago

    Best of luck with your projects... :-)
    Can't wait to see more of it someday...

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