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wentz123

help knockout rose is dying

wentz123
9 years ago

over the last four weeks, one of our rose bushes has begun to die. within two weeks, one branch began to loose leaves and the leaves that were remaining turned yellow. I cut the branch at the base and now the next branch is doing the same. The knockouts are eight years old and gorgeous....hate to lose one. what can i do to save?

Comments (11)

  • michaelg
    9 years ago

    We need to have some idea where you live.

    Sudden death of established rose plants is usually caused by voles or a gopher eating the roots. You can also look for damage at the base of the canes, breakage or tunneling larvae or a patch of black, dead bark girdling the stem.

  • summersrhythm_z6a
    9 years ago

    I think Merit 75WP should kill the bugs eating your rose roots.

  • seil zone 6b MI
    9 years ago

    It would help a great deal if we knew where you lived and what kind of weather conditions you've been experiencing.

    If the cane is still green where those leaves have dried up you do not need to cut the can off. The leaves will replace themselves once the problem is solved. If the canes themselves are turning brown or black then they need to be removed down to good green cane.

    Do examine the plant carefully to see if there are any insects on it or any damage to the canes. Dig below the surface and see what's going on down there. Is it bone dry or swampy? Either of those could cause die back. Hold the canes at the top and try and rock the plant back and forth. If it moves easily and freely there could indeed be something eating the roots.

    Come back with more info on what you find and maybe we can get more specific with our help.

  • michaelg
    9 years ago

    I am not aware of any bugs that commonly eat rose roots. Please don't apply Merit unless you have identified a particular pest that is causing significant damage.

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Root-feeding nematodes in Florida...? You from Florida?
    Just checkin...

  • cottonwood468
    9 years ago

    Knock Out is such a tough rose. I am wondering if there is a dog urinating on it?

  • eureka
    9 years ago

    In the Vegas area, we deal with grubs and lots of them because we have so many different beetles who lay larvae in the soil. Oh joy. I am of the opinion that putting down a treatment twice a year as a preventative is a pretty good idea. I don't like to use chemicals but seeing the number of plants lost to grubs seems very unnecessary. Grape leaf skeletonizer is another pest that hits in such numbers that a grape vine can go down virtually over night, wish we had a preventative for that.

  • wentz123
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sorry this is first post and wasn't receiving notification of your responses. I live in charlotte NC. When this started the weather was perfect 50's-80's. I have a line of four knockouts and this one is first. I would love to salvage but really don't want anything else to happen to the others.

  • seil zone 6b MI
    9 years ago

    Since it's first in the line could it have been hit by a frost or cold snap?

  • ehlerslw
    9 years ago

    I had a knockout rose do that two years ago. the canes look really brown like my did. I went ahead and dug my up and got rid of it. It was five years old when it happened. I pull the rose shrub out with no problem so maybe the roots were already dead. just to be safe see what happens over the rest of the winter and see if it puts out new canes at the bottom next spring if it does not get rid of it.

  • Jesse09
    9 years ago

    I'm not an rose expert at all, but when my roses weaken, I use HB-101 and that helps a lot. Somehow it helps them get stronger and thicker, and keeps away the bugs. You might want to look into it.

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