Gardeners warned to complete one task or risk plants becoming 'diseased'
Black spot is a fungal disease that causes dark spots to appear on rose leaves, often with yellow halos. It can lead to premature leaf drop, which weakens the plant
Garden enthusiasts have been advised to carry out a straightforward task immediately to prevent their plants from suffering damage. If you're nurturing roses in your garden, it's crucial to take note, as this problem is quite prevalent. You might have spotted black spots appearing on your roses while tending to your garden and, if you do, immediate action is required. These spots are an indication of a fungal disease known as Diplocarpon rosae, which causes dark spots surrounded by yellow halos to appear on rose leaves.
This issue can result in premature leaf shedding, thereby weakening the plant. Over time, black spot can also make roses more vulnerable to other diseases and winter damage if not addressed. However, a gardening expert named Michael, who goes by the handle themediterranean gardener on TikTok, recently shared a solution to this problem.
According to him, the most effective thing you can do is pluck them off. He emphasised the need to remove any affected leaves immediately, and the reason for this is straightforward.
If you undertake the task using secateurs, he stressed the importance of washing them afterwards. This step is crucial to prevent the disease from spreading to other plants.
However, he also pointed out that you can simply pull them in the opposite direction of growth for easy removal. It's then necessary to destroy anything you remove from your plants - don't discard them in the compost heap.
If you're struggling to identify black spot on roses, the tell-tale signs include small dark, rounded marks on the leaf's upper surfaces, frequently surrounded by a yellow perimeter.
The afflicted spots often expand and fuse together, causing leaves to turn yellow and fall prematurely, with young stems also at risk - vigilant plant inspection is key.
Black spot disease propagates through wind and water, posing a risk to neighbouring roses; therefore, precise actions are recommended as preventative measures.
Strategies for thwarting black spot include applying fungicides in the spring to bolster plant defence, spaciously placing roses for enhanced air flow, and ensuring sufficient sunlight exposure to expedite post-watering drying.
An additional protective measure involves mulching to retain soil moisture and stifle weeds, which is part of a comprehensive approach to managing black spot.
Gardener's World provides a grim picture of the impact of black spot, explaining: "Leaves are disfigured by poorly defined purple-brownish-black blotches. The leaves then turn yellow and fall. Stems might also be affected.
"Pick up and destroy fallen leaves. When pruning, cut out any stems with black spot on.
"In late-winter, spread a thick layer of mulch around the base of the affected plant to prevent rain splashing soil-borne spores on to new spring growth. Grow rose varieties that are resistant to black spot – these are suggested in the catalogues of specialist rose growers."
Discussing the use of chemicals to tackle the issue, the magazine adds: "Spray against black spot with a fungicide. Follow the instructions, treating the new foliage in early spring, with further sprayings at regular intervals through the season."
By following these straightforward tips, you can take steps to shield your plants. Bear in mind that spotting the problem early is crucial.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
43 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Woman's mystery condition 'grinds joints together' - one thing distracts from the pain
Woman's mystery condition 'grinds joints together' - one thing distracts from the pain Angharad Brawn first experienced pain at the age of five Angharad describes herself as 'stubbornly independent' (Image: PA Real Life ) A 30-year-old wheelchair-bound since childhood by a mystery degenerative condition which causes her joints to 'grind together' has said she paints to distract herself from her chronic pain. Angharad Brawn, based in the village of Ynysddu in South Wales, said she was born 'perfectly healthy', but from the age of five she started to experience aches in her legs which worsened throughout her childhood. By the end of primary school, she needed a wheelchair and her condition continued to worsen, to the point where she developed scoliosis and needed a hip replacement at 18. Angharad underwent genetic testing where her symptoms were likened to a rare genetic disorder – but as she was not a direct match, she has been left without an official diagnosis. Since her youth, Angharad has been experiencing pains in most of her joints due to her condition, where she can 'literally feel (her) bones grinding together', and she uses a motorised wheelchair to move as she cannot walk or stand. Angharad says she has 'no idea' how her condition will deteriorate in the future, with her latest 'scary' struggles impacting her speech and ability to swallow – but over the last two years, she has 'rediscovered (her) love of painting' to provide a distraction from her pain. Article continues below Determined to remain independent, Angharad has published a children's picture book based on her experience, regularly sells her artwork at craft fairs and on her website, and showcases her creations to thousands of TikTok followers. 'I've never had an official diagnosis, all the geneticists I've seen have basically said they have never seen anything like the symptoms I have,' Angharad said. 'Being in pain is draining but there's nothing that can be done about it, I've just got to get on with it. 'My art really helps as it means I have to focus on something else, my bungalow has normally got different projects I'm working on all over it, so I've always got some sort of distraction at hand.' Born healthy, Angharad started to complain of 'aches' in her legs around the age of five. 'By the time I was seven, it was more obvious I was struggling,' she said. 'I started not being able to do things, like riding a bike.' Angharad said she was referred to an orthopaedic consultant, where it was originally thought she had Myhre syndrome – an extremely rare genetic disorder. Her mother, Deborah Gordon, pressed for a second opinion, however, and Angharad underwent several tests, tried out various pain relief medications and had physiotherapy under a community care team. At the age of nine, Angharad started using crutches, then by the end of primary school she needed a wheelchair – before eventually progressing to a motorised one for her independence at 14 years old. As Angharad's consultants could not identify a specific condition she could be suffering with, she was referred to a geneticist when she was 18. Angharad started to experience aches in her legs from the age of five (Image: PA Real Life ) After many appointments and blood tests, Angharad said her symptoms were likened to a condition called Schwartz-Jampel syndrome (SJS), a rare genetic disorder which affects muscle function and skeletal development. For a confirmed SJS diagnosis, Angharad would need to display eight specific chromosome abnormalities, but she just has two, meaning she has been living without an official diagnosis. Angharad said her condition, which is degenerative and 'slowly getting worse over time', affects her bones but also her muscles and tendons, causing myotonia muscle spasms, meaning they never fully relax. 'What's particularly scary is that I am now having problems with my speech and my swallowing,' she said. Angharad said her condition also results in a 'distortion' of her skeleton and she has scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, which had to be corrected by metal rods implanted in her spine aged 16. She had her hip replaced at 18 years old to relieve some of her pain. Describing her chronic pain, Angharad said she has 'good days and bad days'. 'I get pain in most of my joints, but especially in my right hip, back and shoulders,' she said. 'It is really tiring and, in most of my joints, I can literally feel my bones grinding together.' Angharad needed a wheelchair by the end of primary school (Image: PA Real Life ) In August 2019, Angharad was offered a bungalow through Caerphilly Council, where she now lives on her own and a team of carers visit her in the mornings and evenings. As she cannot walk or stand, Angharad uses a hoist in the ceiling to help her get out of bed and into her wheelchair or shower chair. 'I normally describe myself as stubbornly independent, I will always try and do something myself before asking for help,' she said. 'We've managed to set up my care in a way that is really flexible, so some days I may need less help.' Angharad said she always wanted to be a jewellery designer and attended the School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University, but her deteriorating hand function saw her change direction and pursue art instead. She now focuses on painting animals, with birds being her favourite, and she is currently working to fill a sketchbook with various types of birds. 'I'm right-handed, but my right hand has always been my worse hand, so I've had to learn to paint and write with my left,' she said. 'My hands can also be shaky and I get a lot of muscle spasms. I think that's why I prefer painting animals, they normally don't have smooth edges, so it doesn't really matter if my hands shake a bit.' Angharad is currently working on filling a sketchbook with various types of birds (Image: TikTok/PA Real Life ) Angharad said she has to work around her disability in order to produce her artwork – which she sells at local craft fairs and on her website, Angharad has also showcased her artwork on her TikTok page, where she has found a 'really supportive' community with more than 12,000 followers. She has also written, illustrated and self-published a children's picture book, titled The Wobbly Penguin, which is based on her experience growing up with a degenerative condition. While Angharad said she does not know what the future holds for her condition, estimating she will need more support and potentially a speaking device if her speech continues to be impacted, she remains positive. Article continues below 'I just want to show that even though someone may have a very obvious physically disabling condition, they're still fighting to be as independent as they can be,' she said.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
When a Glasgow teacher gives a young scholar dietary advice...
A Glasgow English teacher decided to give one of her young scholars dietary advice, and warned the youngster: 'If you don't eat veggies, you'll get scurvy.' 'Who's Scurvy?' replied the suspicious kid. 'Why's he coming at me?' Grinderman Yesterday morning reader Phil Hazelton was up bright and early, and eager to schlurp a black coffee in his local Costa. Why he was up so early we won't bother to explain, because it has no bearing on the story. What is important to our narrative, however, is what Phil spotted while queuing for his java jolt… the café was selling chewing gum. And not just any chewing gum. This was a product called Milliways Plastic Free Gum, which gave our reader pause for thought. 'I've heard of sugar-free gum,' he concedes, 'but never plastic free.' Drawing the inevitable conclusion, Phil says: 'Does this mean that all the other gum I've chewed over the years was packed with plastic? Have I been naively noshing reconstituted Lego bricks?!' Adds Phil: 'No wonder my teeth are in a piteous state. Obviously nothing to do with all the chocolate I've been munching…' Read more: Titillating tome may prove as controversial as Lady Chatterley's Mollusc Age-appropriate material Cafe culture, continued. Samantha Cushing was enjoying a cuppa in a Glasgow cafeteria when she overheard a proud father discussing his young daughter with a pal. At one point the bloke said: 'Just the other day she said to me, 'I'm four now, and I'm going to do four-year-old things.' 'And d'you know what? The next moment I saw her running. And I thought, she IS running like a four year old. She really was!' (The Diary will leave it up to the perambulatory experts amongst our readership to decide whether a four year old runs in a particular fashion, specific to themselves. Though we have a lurking suspicion that it isn't very different from how a 3-and-¾ year old runs...) Burnt offering Inquisitive reader Alex Hale says: 'Did you know a candle flame smells exactly like burnt nose hair?' Flight of fancy Enjoying a stroll with his grandson in Rouken Glen Park, reader Roger Burns passed a teenager flying a kite. 'What's that?!' asked Roger's grandson, clearly confused by the strange spectacle. 'That,' said Roger, 'is an early version of TikTok. How you kept kids quiet in the good old days.' Hard-hitting story A tragic occurrence. 'My gran died on her 97th birthday,' sobs reader Jennifer Barnett. 'And we were only halfway through giving her the bumps...'
Daily Mirror
20 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
TikTok blocks use of popular hashtag after concerns it promotes eating disorders
On June 1, TikTok blocked search results for 'Skinnytok' following a rising trend of dangerous content promoting eating disorders on the platform and concerns raised by European regulators TikTok has implemented a worldwide ban on a popular hashtag for its link to the promotion of extreme diets and exercise regimes. The company said the block is part of a regular review to 'address evolving risks' on its platform but comes after concerns were raised by European regulators. As of June 1, TikTok has blocked search results for 'SkinnyTok' and removed the hashtag globally. Content associated with the hashtag typically included videos targeting young women promoting extreme thinness and unhealthy ways to lose weight. "[We] have blocked search results for #skinnytok since it has become linked to unhealthy weight loss content," TikTok spokesperson Paolo Ganino said in a statement issued on Monday, June 2. Ganino said the move is part of a "regular review" of TikTok's safety measures "to address evolving risks". Users who now search for the hashtag will be directed to mental health support. The ban follows a boom in the trend in recent months, which saw the platform flooded with videos for and by young women glamourizing eating disorders like anorexia. The rise in the dangerous content reached the attention of both the European Commission and the French digital regulator Arcom. The European Commission investigated the 'Skinnytok' trend after France's Digital Minister Clara Chappaz lobbied for an investigation and created a public petition entitled to 'Stop Skinnytok'. After news of the ban was made public, Chappaz shared her excitement on X. 'Skinnytok is OVER!' the minister posted. 'This is a first collective victory. I salute it. However, the fight to protect our children online doesn't stop there. And I won't give up. Banning social media before 15 is my priority.' The protection of kids online is growing priority as countries consider proposals for new EU rules to curb children's social media use. TikTok's duty to guard against the harmful effects of the SkinnyTok hashtag were a feature of a call between the EU's Consumer Protection Commissioner Michael McGrath and TikTok CEO Shou Chew, as reported by Politico . Currently any search for 'skinnytok' or even 'skinniertok' yields the following message: 'You're not alone. If you or someone you know has questions about body image, food or exercise – it is important to know that help is out there and you are not alone. If you feel comfortable, you can confide in someone you trust or check out the resources below. Please remember to take care of yourselves and each other.' Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you! The message is followed by a help phone number and a link to the platform's Eating Disorder Safety Centre page. While it's a step forward, the ban will not necessarily mean the 'Skinnytok' trend is over. The TikTok community has a strong track record of pivoting with agility to navigate new regulations and user guidelines with new hashtags and code words. Still, social media platforms are being forced to take more accountability for the wellbeing of young users. A legal responsibility for online services to make their sites safe for children will finally come into force in this summer. Under the Online Safety Act, social media firms will be ordered to ensure they tame toxic algorithms, take faster action on removing harmful content and introduce proper age checks on their platforms. Tech companies will now be expected to begin assessing the risk of harm to children on their platforms after Ofcom's final children's safety codes were published today. From July these protections will be fully enforceable and services that don't comply could face serious enforcement action from Ofcom.
