My three rose bushes are again riddled with black spot this year despite my spraying them early and regularly with an organic fungicide to try to prevent it. They have lost almost all of their leaves now. As a last resort, I'm thinking of pruning them way, way back, while also removing and replacing (again) all of the mulch and some of the dirt around them, and then spraying the new growth. Any reason why NOT to cut them way back? To about 18 inches high? Or less? Thanks for your feedback.
hey daisy, my sister in law just had a similar problem and she cut her bushes way down a week ago and says they are now thriving. i sent her this little article about sick roses. maybe it'll help you... http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-g ... roses.html
I'd go ahead and cut them back too Netty. I've had similar problems with black spot and once they've been cut I spray the new growth with milk and it seem to keep the spots at bay. Good luck.
OK! I'm going to cut them back then. I don't think it could get much worse. The article says pouring the soapy water solution over the mulch can help with any fungus in the mulch so that is also interesting. Thank you both.
I have cut mine back to about 12-18 inches when they get hit by black spot and they always come back very full and green.
Oh yeah, whack 'em back This has been the worst year ever in my garden for black spot. I spray fungicide regularly, but those evening rains we've been getting are fungus-food. Two weeks ago I just whacked off everything that looked infected (it's going to fall off anyway). Not just leaves, but canes, stems, whatever looked iffy. Every rose has healthy new BS-free growth.
