Question
Hello,
My friend has a Hollywood rose bush in her yard. The leaves are green but curling up. They also have black spots on them. When the roses bloom, they also curl up on the end. Can you tell me what is wrong and also how to care for this plant. We are in South Carolina.
Thank you

Answer
Hi Amy-

It sounds like the rose has blackspot.  She should try to water the rose using a soaker hose or drip irrigation method.  She should desist from using a sprinkler.  Rain and sprinklers keep the leaves wet which encourages mildew and blackspot (along with humidity).  If she doesn't want to give up the sprinkler method, another option would be to use the sprinkler in the morning, so the leaves have all day to dry off.  Never use the sprinkler at night - because the leaves would stay wet all night, increasing the propensity of blackspot.  She also needs to spray once a week with a fungicide for roses which she can buy at the local garden center.

Good luck-

Carlene