How to Keep Your Roses Disease and Pest Free

Roses are a beautiful addition to any yard. But, taking care of them and keeping them healthy can be a chore. Here are some tips to help you keep your roses disease free and looking lovely.

The best way to keep diseases from infecting your roses is to buy disease-resistant plants. This may sound too simple. But, it is true. Ask at your garden store or nursery and make sure you are getting a variety of rose that is bred to be resistant to diseases.

When you are watering your plants, do your best to not get the water on the foliage of the roses. Black spot, powdery mildew, and rust spores need to be in water in order to germinate. If you keep the foliage dry, these diseases will not be a problem for your plants.

Be sure to leave enough space between your rose plants when you plant them. They should also be in a sunny spot. If they do not have enough room, try pruning them to create some open space. If there is room for air to circulate, this will also help keep away diseases that flourish in moist conditions.

Your garden should be kept clean. Any damaged leaves, stems or flowers should be removed as soon as possible. Do not use them in compost. The disease will spread to the rest of the pile. The diseased material should be either burned, buried 3 feet deep, or sent to a landfill to get rid of it.

Use mulch around your rose plants. If there are any disease spores on the ground around your roses, mulch will prevent them from reaching the plants. The mulch should be applied after all of the fallen leaves have been removed in the fall. Put down a layer of mulch that is several inches deep. You may need another layer added after late winter or early spring pruning.

Do not give your rose plants too much fertilizer. If there is too much nitrogen in the soil, your plants will produce too many leaves and not as many flowers. This is what aphids love to snack on. If you have an infestation on your rose plants, use a solution of and spray it on the plants. Use 1 to 3 teaspoons of mild soap per gallon of water. This is enough to take care of most insects.

Keeping your roses happy and disease free is not a lot of work. And, it helps keep your flower garden looking beautiful. Hopefully, these tips will help you keep your roses healthy and lovely.

SOURCE

Editors Rodale Organic Gardening Books. "Rodale Organic Gardening Basics Volume 4: Roses. St. Martin's Press. 2000. Pennsylvania.