Alan Titchmarsh shares his ‘basic guide’ on avoiding ‘mildew and black spot’ on roses
ALAN TITCHMARSH has shared his "basic guide" on how to grow the perfect roses and avoid serious plant diseases such as mildew and black spot.
Love Your Garden: Alan Titchmarsh on growing roses in 2011
Roses are fantastic additions to any garden, however, they can develop serious plant diseases such as mildew and black spot. Black spot is the most serious disease of roses. It is caused by a fungus, Diplocarpon rosae, which infects the leaves and greatly reduces plant vigour. These leaf markings appear from spring, which will persist as long as the leaves remain on the plant.
In a 2011 episode of Love Your Garden, Alan shared how to prevent roses from getting mildew and black spots by following a “basic guide”.
He said: “If I were to offer you a basic guide to rose growing what would I say?
“Well, I’d say start down at the very bottom with the soil.
“Roses traditionally are supposed to like clay soil.
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“They can grow in sand but what they do love is moisture at the roots with plenty of muck worked in.
“You can see that the ground here looks very organic, almost like fruitcake.”
Alan showed a close up to viewers of the soil which appeared to be loose and full of clumps.
He added: “They [roses] love moisture and that will help to stop them from showing signs of mildew - that white powdery stuff - and black spots.
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“It’s when they are short on moisture they tend to get these diseases but they do need food.
“Sprinkle some rose fertiliser around the soil above the roots in March and again in June.”
Black spot is a fungus that leaves unsightly black spots on the leaves and stems of roses.
Eventually, the leaves will turn yellow and drop off before the autumn months set in.
While your rose plant may look healthier in the spring months, the spores on the fallen leaves re-infect the new foliage.
If black spot continues to appear throughout the season, it could eventually weaken the plant.
One of the best ways to deter back spot is by picking up and destroying the fallen leaves to avoid reinfection.
When gardeners prune their plant they should make sure to cut out any stems with black spot.
Putting mulch around the base of the plant will also stop rain splashing black spot spores onto new growth.
These actions will help delay the onset of the disease, but are of limited value because spores are bound to blow in on wind-blown rain from elsewhere.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) believes that avoiding pests, diseases and weeds by good practice in cultivation methods, cultivar selection, garden hygiene and encouraging or introducing natural enemies, should be the first line of control.
They also shared how planting roses in full sun is a good way to minimise outbreaks.
If chemical controls are used, they should be used only in a minimal and highly targeted manner.
Putting climbing roses in places with good air circulation will also help.