Rose summer care: seven most common pests and diseases and how beginners can solve them

When caring for roses in summer, you need to be especially careful. Roses fear hot, humid environments. In overly wet, waterlogged and stuffy conditions, pests and diseases are easily triggered, especially the seven below. If you find these pests and diseases, deal with them promptly, so the roses can recover healthy growth and keep blooming.

For beginners caring for roses, it is best to choose varieties with strong resistance to pests and diseases, such as the common hybrid tea rose (Rosa 'Hybrid Tea'). It is best to buy perennial grafted seedlings for cultivation, as they have very strong root systems and grow easily.

The environment for growing roses must have plenty of light. Keep more than six hours of direct sunlight every day, keep it ventilated and avoid shade. In addition, use loose, well-draining soil. When watering roses, avoid pouring water directly on the leaves, and also spray regularly to prevent pests and diseases. If there are dead branches and fallen leaves around, clean them up promptly.

Common pests and diseases in rose care:

The first: black spot disease

If roses are grown in humid and stuffy environmental conditions, they are prone to black spot disease. Ugly black spots appear on the leaves, and the leaves slowly fall off.

The treatment for black spot disease is very simple. After using disinfected honey scissors to cut off all the diseased branches, spray zineb solution or thiophanate-methyl solution once every five days, for about four consecutive sprays. If you do not want to spray chemicals, you can directly spray milk. Mix milk and water at a 1:2 ratio, and the effect on preventing and controlling black spot disease is especially good.

The second: powdery mildew

Roses are also very prone to powdery mildew. This is a very common fungal disease, and it is especially easily triggered when the environment is humid, the soil is waterlogged or there is insufficient light. Avoid watering at night, and avoid pouring water directly on the leaves.

If you find roses infected with powdery mildew, be sure to spray zineb solution or thiophanate-methyl solution promptly, once a week for about 3 to 4 consecutive sprays.

The third: yellow leaf disease

When roses are overwatered, or when the soil is alkaline, the leaves are prone to turning yellow. A lack of iron in the soil also easily causes yellow leaves. When planting roses, be sure to avoid watering too frequently. Too much water easily causes yellow leaves and continuous leaf drop. Be sure to wait until the potting soil is dry before watering, choose loose, well-draining peat soil and compost soil, and regularly give some acidic fertilizer.

The fourth: rust disease

Roses infected with rust disease are especially troublesome. Brown-yellow spots appear on the branches and leaves, and afterward the entire leaf turns yellow. Fungal diseases are especially easily triggered in dark, damp environments.

If you find leaves infected with rust disease, promptly cut off the diseased leaves and spray some fungicide, such as the common chlorothalonil or thiophanate-methyl solution.

The fifth: aphids

Roses are very prone to aphid infestation. At first, aphids hide on the undersides of leaves and at the leaf buds, and they are very small green insects that can only be found by careful observation. They reproduce very quickly. Once discovered, remove them promptly, otherwise they will even ruin the flowers.

Spraying to kill aphids on roses is relatively simple. The most commonly used pesticides are imidacloprid and Huahuashen. The simplest and most direct method is to wash the aphids off with a faucet.

The sixth: red spider mites

Red spider mites are a kind of tiny mite that is very hard to find. Leaves infected with red spider mites slowly turn red, and in severe cases some small spider silk appears on the leaves. They are easily triggered in overly dry environments.

If roses are infected with red spider mites, you can spray soapy water diluted with water, preferably on a clear morning. Of course, you can also spray pesticides directly. The most effective pesticide is abamectin, and you can spray the entire plant evenly.

The seventh: leaf miners

If you find white veins running one by one across rose leaves, but you cannot see any insects, then it is very likely that leaf miners are damaging the plant, and the leaves will slowly become thinner.

At present there is no very good method for leaf miners. You can only cut off all the leaves infected with pests and diseases, and then appropriately spray some neem oil.

The eighth: thrips

If roses are infected with thrips, the plant will show deformed tender leaves and tender buds, and the leaves will look very awkward. If you observe carefully, you will find small black jumping insects around them, and these are thrips.

At this time, be sure to spray promptly. The relatively simple and effective pesticides are picoxystrobin, fenvalerate, actara and other pesticides. It is best to spray in the evening, about twice a week.