Rose leaf spot
West Midlands, United Kingdom
Help! My Arthur Bell roses always get black spot and in second flowering lose many leaves. I do collect and dispose of them but it still comes back. I don't really want to use the spray on them because it's harmful to bees. Also in the second flowering phase it sends up very tall shoots that make it look very out of shape, should I cut these back?
On plant
Rosa
- 10 Aug, 2009
Answers
Gosh, what a full answer, thank you so much! I've copied and pasted it into a doc file for reference next year. You really know your subject!
10 Aug, 2009
Aso, clear up all fallen leaves and petals. Bin or burn them, don't put them on the compost heap.
10 Aug, 2009
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Previous question
Well first of all, the only spray product that is really bad for bees is Provado as it contains nicotinoides that are incredibly toxic to Hymenoptera, especially bees, plus it gets carried back to the nests of both solitary and social species wiping the whole nest out.
Fungicides (which is what you will be using to stop black spot) are fine to use around the garden.
A couple of pointers for you. Feed your roses twice a year with a high potash fertilizer. The potassium in this does several things, not least helping the plant ripen wood and produce flower buds but also surprisingly, it does help the plant resist fungal attack (to a degree).
Use two fungicidal sprays fortnightly through the season making sure that one of them is Dithane. The other can be any other suitable for roses but not one that also contains an insecticide. Alternate with then through the growing season, starting early May through to about the end of August.
This should keep your plants free.
10 Aug, 2009