Rust on roses

[Persephone]

Sigh. Seems like every year, when it starts to get toward summer, I get serious rust on my roses. I pick off the affected leaves, but is there anything I can use that will nip the problem in the bud

Preferably as kind as possible to the environment.

TIA

[Phisherman]

Sounds like "black spot," a fungus that attacks roses, peonies, and other plants. Increase the circulation so that the leaves do not remain wet for long periods of time. You can thin out some canes to improve circulation. Buy fungus-resistant roses. You can use a fungicide (Ortho makes a product for roses) every week to prevent it, but to be effective you must start using the product as soon as the spring leaves appear. Fungicides are toxic, so you might consider other methods of control.

[Persephone]

That's what I asked about -- other methods of control.

Anybody?

Persephone

[Manelli Family]

Wettable sulfur?

[Bill Rose]

Oh merciless, persnickety, subterranean majesty, as Will Rogers said."Don't gamble; take all your savings and buy some good stock and hold it till it goes up, then sell it. If it don't go up, don't buy it."

Of course, the silver lining to existential angst is that adversity builds character. Not that you need to be more of a character than you already are.

And of course you must have already looked at

there is the flame-thrower approach (I mean "weed burner"), then you could rise like a phoenix. Unfortunately, that would put you at cross-purposes to your present mythical manifestation.

So how 'bout a nice cry and a box of chocolates? or was that rhubarb pie?

- Bill Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

[William Wagner]

I read here to apply corn meal about your rose's. I did last year and to be honest so no difference. But I gave it to all my roses about 12 and I used about 5 lb corn meal. All my roses are doing well this year .

Bill

[Persephone]

Blush...

There are some good hints at the site and links.

However, my "justification" is that from this NG I would get actual experience, perhaps some of it unorthodox but efficacious.

Given the choice, definitely chocolates. No crying; what does that solve?

[Bill Rose]

But you did say anybody. You were expecting Luther Burbank maybe?

Good luck,

- Bill

Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

[mleblanca]

Hi Perse We don't get much rust up here, but I had one rose that got it every spring. It was Dainty Bess....... Removing leaves helped, but eventually I tossed her out; no time for spraying etc. Get rust resistant roses. Manelli Family is correct-- wettable sulfur, but don't apply if temp is over 80 degrees.

Emilie NorCal

[Persephone]

Thanks to all who replied, esp. re: wettable sulfur. I had honestly never heard of it, so am eager to attack the annual rust with this new tool.

Onward!

Persephone