Why Do My Roses Resist My Treatments? I Spray And…
Regina Asked
Why do my roses resist my treatments? I spray and fertilize them and they still turn brown and yellow!
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Regina: Depending on the rose you are growing you may always be battling insect and disease problems. Some roses are more disease-resistant than others. For example, the Knock Out rose is typically less troublesome than the older hybrid tea roses. No matter what kind of rose you have they all demand a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight; eight or more would be ideal. All plants will perform their best when given the conditions they need to thrive. Proper fertility is essential when it comes to the health of the plant and in promoting blooms. It is important to have your soil tested occasionally so you know if you are in abundance of or lacking in any nutrients. For a small fee you can have this done by your County Cooperative Extension Service. As far the discolored foliage this can be caused by a number of different factors, moisture being the most common; too much water can cause foliage to turn yellow and not enough will allow the foliage to dry out and turn crisp. Established plants will not require as much water as newly planted ones. As far as spraying, what are you spraying for? The problem must be properly diagnosed for any spray to be effective. You can take a sample of your rose to a local horticulturist either at a garden center or your Extension agent. Otherwise, spraying just to spray is not necessarily beneficial. For now, remove all dead and diseased foliage and keep the area around the plant free of any debris.
