Pest and disease management for roses

This Week, Henrietta Hood from The Avid Gardener o ers a few tips and tricks for treating and preventing pests and diseases in the garden to have your roses looking their very best.

BLACK SPOT

Add two (2) teaspoons of bi-carb soda to five (5) litres of water. Add a couple of drops of eco-friendly dishwashing detergent. Mix well, decant and spray liberally.

APHIDS

Add one (1) teaspoon of eco-friendly laundry or dishwashing detergent to half a bucket of warm water. Mix well, decant and spray liberally. Don’t be tempted to add more detergent as it may harm your plants.

GENERAL CARE

Strip all a ected leaves and remove completely, ie. red bin, burn or put in a plastic bag, seal tightly and leave in the sun for a few days to kill any spores for black spot. Do not compost rose clippings/leaves, et cetera.

Try to avoid watering the leaves of roses as this creates humidity and an ideal environment for spores to take hold on leaves. Instead, water around the roots. Prune to allow airflow throughout the bush. Always use clean equipment.

Try 100-150g sulphate of potash per bush, four times per year to help thicken the cell walls of leaves. This will help create a barrier and there will be a lot less black spot.

Pruning properly, watering moderately, feeding when needed and mulching will all help to build health in your plants. Just like humans, the healthier plants are, the more resistant they are to disease and pests.

Ladybirds are a natural predator of aphids, encourage these little beauties in your garden by reducing chemical use and creating a biologically diverse garden, and they will come and do all the hard work for you! Henrie