Gardener shares the one job you need to do now to ensure roses are free of black spot

Wales Online

19 hours ago

Gardener shares the one job you need to do now to ensure roses are free of black spot
Gardener and TikTok creator Michael, aka The Mediterranean Gardener, has shared his top tips to ensure your roses are free of black spot, which can cause the leaves to drop prematurely
Now in their peak blooming season - your roses may be at risk of a major fungal infection
(Image: Photos by R A Kearton via Getty Images )
Roses are now in their peak blooming season, but a serious fungal disease threatens their health and overall appearance. In a video posted in May, gardener and TikTok creator Michael, known as The Mediterranean Gardener, issued a warning about black spot—a common rose disease that causes leaves to develop dark spots and drop prematurely.
Rose black spot is a fungal infection that leads to the appearance of purple or black blotches on the leaves. Over time, the affected foliage weakens and falls off earlier than normal. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, these spots typically start appearing in spring and tend to worsen as the season progresses.
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If left untreated, the markings will continue to spread and persist throughout the growing season. Love dreamy Welsh homes? Sign up to our newsletter here
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Really, these discolourations are just the start; additional symptoms include yellowing leaf tissue, falling leaves, and the appearance of small, dark, "scabby lesions" on new stems.
Heavily infected plants may lose nearly all their foliage. The RHS shared, "The symptoms are so severe that, anecdotally, the disease has been blamed for a decline in the popularity of roses in UK gardens in recent decades."
Rose black spot is a fungal infection that leads to the appearance of purple or black blotches on the leaves
(Image: (Image: Getty) )
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How to tackle black spot on your roses
The best course of action is to pick them off. Remove any affected leaves as they carry the black spot fungus, reports the Express.
If you're doing this with a pair of secateurs remember to give them a thorough clean afterwards to halt the spread - or you can pull in the opposite direction to the growth to easily remove them by hand. If you see leaves on the ground, pick them up.
Anything that you pick up or pick off needs to be destroyed, don't put it in your compost heap. To reduce the likelihood of your roses getting black spot again do the following: Prune at the right time, in an open bowl shape to an outward facing bud to reduce the chances of mould, mildew and black spot taking hold.
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Water deeply so the plant doesn't get stressed. Mulch to around 3inches, locking in water and suppressing weeds.
How to eliminate black spot on roses
To fight the unsightly fungus, Micheal suggested that the best thing you can do to halt the spread is to remove the leaves altogether.
He said: "The best thing you can do is pick them off, remove any and all affected leaves even if that means completely defoliating the plant."
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If you're using a pair of secateurs to remove the leaves, Michael advised giving them a comprehensive clean after cutting the leaves to stop the spread of the disease.
Michael advised on leaf removal: "You can pull (the leaves) in the opposite direction to the growth to easily remove them by hand.
"And anything that you pick up or pick off needs to be destroyed, don't put it in your compost heap."
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The RHS stresses that controlling black spots is best managed by steering clear of pests and diseases, maintaining general cleanliness in the garden, and introducing "natural enemies" to tackle the problem.
The RHS also recommends that gardeners should gather and destroy any leaves that fall in autumn and discard any lingering on plants during winter.
On top of this, the RHS cautions against using fungicides as they may diminish biodiversity, harm soil health, and potentially have detrimental effects on the surrounding ecosystem.
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