Gardeners are being urged to give their roses extra care in the coming weeks due to April’s increasing temperatures and rainy showers. The unsettled weather creates an ideal environment for black spot disease and gardeners are being advised to keep a close eye out for it.
The fungal infection, which spreads through water, begins at the base of the plant. Round black spots then appear on the rose leaves before they turn yellow and drop off. The disease can spread rapidly and gardeners are being told to use one common item to stop the problem.
As reported by Manchester Evening News, gardeners can stop the spread by acting quickly. According to Kevin Lee Jacobs, an experienced gardener and creator of A Garden for the House, cow’s milk can be used if your roses fall victim to black spot disease.
He said: “A spray composed of one part milk and two parts water is the best answer to the disease. When applied weekly, the solution controls blackspot as well as any synthetic fungicide, including Chlorothalonil.”
It works because cow’s milk boasts natural proteins and enzymes in roses. These possess antifungal capabilities that combat spores.
The milk works best when exposed to sunlight as it creates an enviornment where fungus is less likely to form. It also creates a thin coating that will stop the spores from sticking to the plant.
Kevin added: “Spraying is work, but it isn’t hard work. Just be sure to wet both the top and bottom of the leaves. Pick up any fallen leaves, too. Otherwise, the spores of the fungus can splash back onto the rose during a rainstorm.”
While black spot disease does not kill roses off outright, it does put considerable stress on them. It makes the plant put its energy into fighting the infections rather than producing flowers.
This means that roses that get black spot disease are unlikely to bloom. Meanwhile, weaker roses are also more prone to pests and other diseases which can easily kill them off.