By Bernard
Cambridgeshire,
United Kingdom 
Climbing rose problem.
Last Autumn I planted a climbing rose close to a Silver Birch tree and am hoping it will eventually climb the tree and keep it warm in the winter :-). This year it has commenced growing strongly but recently the new leaves are curled up tight and showing little signs of opening. It is well watered, fed in the spring and given a mulch of compost. Photo 1 gives a general idea (if you can sort it out from the background jungle!) and there are two strong stems making a bee-line for the tree and it can be seen that the early leaves are normal while the new ones appear to be distorted. Photo 2 is a close-up of the new growth and I have gently uncurled one of the leaves and discovered that there are some tiny white specks inside (Whitefly?) so I have given it a dose of Rose Clear pending replies from those who undoubtedly know more than I do. I look forward to hearing from you.
10 May, 2011
Answers
Thanks for your reply Catty, but I'm a little confused. I'm certain the problem isn't powdery mildew, do you know what is wrong with this plant? If I have an identity, I can probably find a remedy in the garden centre as your suggestion is not practical as far as I'm concerned.
12 May, 2011
Previous question
try a baking soda solution.
Mix together 2 tablespoons fine horticultural oil with 1 tablespoon mild dish soap and a large tablespoon of baking soda.
Mix with one gallon of water and stir thouroughly.
Before spraying, it's best to water your rose plants well and hose down the foilage with a garden hose.
Spray only when the roses are shaded, early morning or evening.
Spray all foliage completely.
To prevent powdery mildew from attacking your roses, spray weekly with the baking soda solution when leaves first appear in the spring, then every two weeks thereafter.
10 May, 2011