Roses are probably the most popular flower in the world, and are certainly the most well-known. This popularity is not hard to understand, given the beauty and aroma of the bloom. If you are thinking of taking the step of growing your own roses, here are a few tips for keeping them healthy.
Black spots appearing on the leaves are down to a disease rather aptly named black spot. The black spots will be circular with fringed edges. The easiest way to deal with this is simply to remove the infected foliage. Alternatively, this disease on roses can be treated through chemical sprays.
Rust is the common name for an infection that leaves orange or red blisters on the leaves of roses. An organic anti fungal spray is the best way to treat an outbreak, or again, simply removing the infected foliage will do the trick.
Powdery mildew is also a fungal infection which can spread all over the rose. Treat as soon as possible with an anti fungal spray to avoid the problem spreading.
Spider mites may sound cute, but can cause the flowers of roses to be stunted and malformed, as well as affecting the leaves. If practical, submerging the whole rose plant in water to kill these mites; treatments can be added to the water to increase the effectiveness of this method.
Aphids suck plant juices from roses, and these bugs can either brown, green or red. Kill them through introducing beneficial insects that predate on aphids such as ladybirds, or by simply spraying pesticide.
Thrips are bugs that can cause roses to produce distorted flowers. Sometimes the work of the thrips leaves flowers unable to open. These brown yellow bugs are have wings, and so can spread quickly. Neem Oil is an organic treatment which can be mixed up into a spray and applied quickly.
If all of these potential hazards sound like a bit of a headache, you always have the option of buying a fresh bouquet from a local florist, or better still having them delivered by your local Interflora.
Maricruz Tennill is a retired gardener and keen rose enthusiast. Maricruz Tennill recommends Interflora when you need to find florists in Romford.
