blackspot

frances5

I have grown roses for fifty years and have never had a year like this one! The poor roses are keeling over with blackspot - the whole shrub, not just the leaves - despite annual application of sprays and care in the clearance of affected leaves. I reckon I have lost a good two thirds of them already, and I live in a 'Rose Cottage', so it's a great pain!I am in my seventies and could not manage to  replace all the soil in order to plant new ones. Can anyone suggest some really resistant roses, if I could find new spaces for them?

Dovefromabove

I planted David Austin's new rose The Mayflower last year and have been very happy with it - it is a lovely deep pink, has a fantastic old-fashioned almost musk-rose perfume and is advertised as being 'totally resistent to black spot'.  It bloomed well last year and is covered with buds  at the moment  http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=3940 

frances5

Thank you! I love English roses. I'll look at their website.

Woodgreen wonderboy

 I live close to you and do not have this problem, yet! Which is no consolation to you of course. I did manage to spray mine very early as the buds were first showing. I note you spray as well, so was timing the difference, do you think? Good luck with your plantings. You could try Bonica 82, and Complicata, which is a big flowrerer

 

Wintersong

A deep mulch and general tidying of leaves as soon as they show signs is also recommended as a preventative measure once your garden is subjected to this disease.

frances5

Thank you for the suggestions. You are lucky, Woodgreen wonderboy! I know one or two others in the area who have decided to give up on roses entirely for the reason of blackspot. It could have been the timing of spraying - it was a little late this year as the weather conditions didn't  seem right. I usually mulch in the spring, Wintersong, but it has recently been suggested to me  that mulching should be done in the autumn to avoid trapping the fungus beneath in the spring. I'll try it this year.  I am wondering if the fungus spreads far from the affected plant - in other words, will I be able to plant in the spaces between those I have to remove?

On another matter -  three years ago one of my daughters gave me a Rosa banksiae lutescens which is growing very healthily in a sunny spot but shows no sign of flowering. Has anyone grown it?  

 NB so far it is unaffected!!

Dovefromabove

I've never seen blackspot on a r. banksiae - I believe they are quite resistant 

frances5

Good! I was wondering if it normally takes a few years to flower?

Woodgreen wonderboy

I vaguely remember that Banksia etc. is a bit shy to get started. Patience will no doubt be rewarded.

Dovefromabove

Yes, a bit slow to get started but once it gets going ......... 

frances5

Oh, goodie!