Rose bush help!

--Duncan--

Morning everyone, my first time posting here having found it a very helpful resource in the past as I'm very much a beginner! 

I planted an Alfred Carriere rose last year and it's been going great guns growth-wise. Greenfly appeared about a month ago and I sprayed with a gentle horticultural soap mixed with a wee bit of neem oil. I did this a couple of times a few days apart and seemed to do the trick (assuming dead greenfly go black that is!).  

However the past week or so quite a lot of the young leaves are looking like this (see pic). Also a few were dry and crinkly to the touch.  I wondered if this might be under-watering as the weather here in Glasgow has been unseasonably hot and dry the past few weeks.  I'd been giving them about 10L of water once a week though, so not sure.

Should I be panicking or will this sort itself out over time?  I'd been so looking forward to seeing it bloom!  Thanks in advance for any suggestions

amancalledgeorge

There have been a couple of cold nights...this looks to me like damage from the cold. If it was my plant I'd also remove the slate mulch as it stops you from knowing the true condition of the soil...and for a new rose you'd want to know how moist it really is. 

Borderline

Most likely water issue. Give them plenty of watering. The other issue is to avoid spraying any of your leaves with anything if the sun is up, especially in high sun. Sometimes, it will make the leaves fry in the sun. The rose should be fine, just prune off any damaged tips.

The fence is rather low so you will need to do a lot of tying in and controlling. If not, the flowers will stay at the tops and you may end up with no leaves along the bottom.

--Duncan--

amancalledgeorge said:

There have been a couple of cold nights...this looks to me like damage from the cold. If it was my plant I'd also remove the slate mulch as it stops you from knowing the true condition of the soil...and for a new rose you'd want to know how moist it really is. 

Thanks George! That wouldn't have occurred to me - we have had a couple of cold nights here and the garden is in a sheltered spot.  Good advice about the slate mulch as well - I know it's not ideal but it was an act of desperation to deter the neighbour's cats

--Duncan--

Borderline said:

Most likely water issue. Give them plenty of watering. The other issue is to avoid spraying any of your leaves with anything if the sun is up, especially in high sun. Sometimes, it will make the leaves fry in the sun. The rose should be fine, just prune off any damaged tips.

The fence is rather low so you will need to do a lot of tying in and controlling. If not, the flowers will stay at the tops and you may end up with no leaves along the bottom.

Thank you! I think I had been spraying them at the hottest part of the day so that could be it.  If it has been underwatering then the good news is that the weather in Glasgow is back to normal today! Good tip re tying in as well - as you can probably see it quickly outgrew the trellis panels I put up

amancalledgeorge

It's a vigorous grower, it will all improve quickly. Don't worry too much. 

Nollie

I tried the weak neem oil once, making sure it was going to be cloudy and dull for a few days afterwards, it fried the leaves. Think you need a week of normal Glasgow weather to be on the safe side!

You can just rub the greenfly off with your fingers and encourage greenfly munchers such as ladybirds, by planting plants that attract them. Otherwise a weak solution of horticultural soap by itself will do it.

Hello @amancalledgeorge, haven’t seen you on the forum much lately - hope you are well!

--Duncan--

Nollie said:

I tried the weak neem oil once, making sure it was going to be cloudy and dull for a few days afterwards, it fried the leaves. Think you need a week of normal Glasgow weather to be on the safe side!

You can just rub the greenfly off with your fingers and encourage greenfly munchers such as ladybirds, by planting plants that attract them. Otherwise a weak solution of horticultural soap by itself will do it.

Hello @amancalledgeorge, haven’t seen you on the forum much lately - hope you are well!

Thanks Nollie, I'll give the neem oil a miss from now on and stick to soap if anything.  Hadn't considered biological control so will look into that too

amancalledgeorge

Yep reading and judging @Nollie how are your new roses coming along?