Needing help with garden problem please.

[Nana]

I'm intending spending time out in the garden tomoro if the weather is as good as they're forecasting it to be. I had a stroll round this afternoon to see how much there is to do. First time for jobs in the borders this yr.

Expected a lot of weeds with bits of rubble as the latter seem to appear from nowhere. I don't know if stones come from under the dividing fence. I have tried to keep a standard rose that belonged to mum alive, but over the last two years it's been tricky. Got like rust/black coloured spots but still beautifully scented roses.

On my look around it seemed like almost everything has been touched by something that's causing them to die. The rose plants have black snarled up rosebuds & spotty leaves. Other plants have black spotted leaves. The borders are desperate for their first going over, as the weather has been appalling...floods etc.

I honestly don't know what to do as nearly all the plants have been affected. Is it something in the soil I wonder? I'll try to put some fotos up.

[Daisy]

Nana - the photos are brilliant.

I'm afraid I'm pretty useless with roses, but I would cut out any damaged branches - broken, blackened etc. The spotty leaves - I'd cut those branches out too. Most roses flower on new growth, so giving them a good old prune won't hurt. Pick up all the dead leaves off the soil as well, then feed them and give them a good soaking. I suppose a specific rose fertiliser is best, but I try and keep it organic and use Fish, blood and bone or chicken pellets. If you've got anything to mulch round the roses with that helps to keep the moisture in the soil - grass clippings will do, but you need a couple of inches deep.

I think overall your best and easiest option is to improve the soil quality - it sounds as though the rouble is short of nutrients.

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along soon. Good luck.

[Grauntie Mag]

I think Daisy is spot on Nana. If you look, the new growth is fine but you do need to be quite ruthless with the black spot on the roses. Remove and dispose of the affected leaves. Prune away as much as you can of the dead looking bits. All the crazy weather has not helped and you do need to improve the soil and feed the plants. Good luck!

[Plantaholic]

Spot on (sorry for the pun) Daisy and Grauntie, you need to be quite ruthless to save them Nana. Make sure you remove all the fallen leaves. Good luck

[Daisy]

One more thing, Nana - don't overdo the work. Do a bit at a time. The tiredness, stiffness and aching don't show themselves till later. xx

[Mimi]

Sadly Nana you might have a battle on your hands .
We grew roses years ago until we had the dreaded black spot on the leaves . Its a fungal disease and you have to work hard to defeat it.
You have to carefully remove all the leaves that have spots on them, all the yellowing leaves and any dead wood. Don't leave even one leaf on the soil because the disease will rot back into the soil reinfecting the plant . You then have to rake the ground around the plants to ensure you have cleared all the soil
When you have done all that you have to spray it regularly with a rose spot insecticide.
Good luck Nana

By the way don't put the leaves and dead wood on your compost heap ,the disease won't rot away

[Nana]

Thanks everyone. Not sure what insecticide is safe for our dog tho'. Presume it says on the bottle.

[Plantaholic]

GD2 who has moved into a flat in South London has been sending me pics of her garden she and her partner are trying to whip it into shape. She asked me if a wisteria would be good on the fence, the pic. of the fence looked as it it was going to blow down so discouraged that idea. Pictures she sent showed a very overgrown green leaf plant we decided it was clematis so advised her to cut it back to strong shoots this year and see what the flowers are like. I am so pleased that my GC seem to have inherited some of my OH's and my love of growing and looking after plants. Only my GD1 doesn't seem interested apart from planting baked beans.

[Daisy]

Thanks everyone. Not sure what insecticide is safe for our dog tho'. Presume it says on the bottle.

Nana - I never trust any of the sprays etc, to be honest, although I know there are safe ones. If you can nourish the rose's roots it will put on good growth and any odd spotty leaves you can just cut off and dispose of. I've pruned a climbing rose today and it had a few spotty leaves - tomorrow I'll give it a really good soaking, feed it and mulch it. It's a bit of a poor looking thing at the moment because a neighbour's conifer has grown right over it cutting out the light. We've cut the conifer back so it should get more light now (fingers crossed) and will grow stronger. The other climbing rose gets better light and is growing strongly - just an odd spot here and there. (I think it's a fungus, not an insecticide.)

How did it go today?

[Nana]

Sun didn't shine but there was warmth in the wind. OH kindly came out too & we sorted part of it together. I have a touch of arthritis in my lower spine so know to sit down now if it starts to hurt. We enjoyed our time outside & if it's fine we'll have another go at it again tomoro.

Thanks for your help & chat everyone. OH even said that when the garden's finished he'll power wash the patio.

[Daisy]

Nana - well done to you and OH. I'm glad you enjoyed your day and didn't overdo it. It's tempting to want to get everything done all in a hurry, and I always have to tell myself "one job at a time". When you're OH has power washed your patio could he come and do ours, pretty please? It's badly in need.

[Plantaholic]

I have a list of jobs needing doing in the garden but these days I limit myself and this year there is no hurry as there is always tomorrow.

[Daisy]

Plant - I actually like the feeling that I haven't got to rush to get everything done before a self-imposed deadline. It's much more relaxed. Normally I'd have cut the lawn yesterday, but it's not too long and I know I've all the time in the world to do it today, tomorrow or whenever - and the weather forecast is mainly good. We had a shower overnight, but the sun's out now so it's drying out again.

[Daisy]

Nana - how did you get on with your spotty rose?

[Nana]

Going well thanks Daisy. I trimmed back one plant to almost nothing, not a rose, & sprayed what was left. I'll just wait to see if it grows again.🤦♀️ Pruned two roses & sprayed. Still need to do the standard rose. The scent from the magnolia is superb this year.

I found a planter without anything in it but soil.... so I thought. Full of red ants. Had a spare ant killer thingy so put that on top of the soil under some pebbles. Fingers crossed.

Here's a pic to show you what a difference a day makes with sunshine. Thanks for your interest.