A gardening expert on TikTok has warned gardeners of a specific leaf that should destroyed if found. Michael, also known as The Mediterranean Gardener, shares gardening tips and tutorials on the social media platform where he boasts nearly 300,000 followers.
In one video, the expert urges gardeners to completely get rid of a particular kind of leaf if spotted in the gardens. He adds that destruction of the leaf is a must and that when removing this type of leaf off the plant, they shouldn’t even be put in your compost heap.
Black spots on rose leaves are a sign that the plants are suffering from “one of the most serious fungal diseases” which is why it is vital that the leaves are dealt with correctly.
Michael continued to reveal that the black spots then turn the leaves yellow and cause them to eventually fall off. But before it gets to that, he shared what gardeners should do instead.
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.”
There are two ways you can get rid of the leaves. The first way is using a pair of secateurs, if you do use the tool, make sure to give them “a good clean after”, as this will prevent the disease from spending.
The other option is to pull the leaves in “the opposite direction to the growth” using your hands.
Once all affected leaves have been removed, they must be disposed of appropriately. Michael added: “Anything that you pick up or pick off needs to be destroyed. Don’t put it in your compost heap.”
Viewers were quick to share their personal challenges and experiences with the damaged leaves. One wrote: “Sick of picking the leaves off.”
In response, Michael provided some additional advice. He said: “Mulch the rose, water it deeply and take affected leaves off – bet it’ll be better.”
Another viewer who followed the advice said: “I did this last year and my rose look fresh [and] revived this year.”