Gardeners have been urged to complete a simple task now if they want to save their plants from being harmed. If you have roses in your garden, you may want to pay attention, as the issue can be pretty common. While doing a bit of gardening, you may have noticed that black spots have started to appear on your roses and, if you see them, you need to act urgently. This is because the spots are actually a sign of a fungal disease called Diplocarpon rosae, and it causes dark spots to appear on rose leaves, often with yellow halos. The issue can lead to premature leaf drop, which weakens the plant.
Over time, black spot can also mean roses are more susceptible to other diseases and winter damage if not treated. But an expert called Michael, known as themediterranean gardener on TikTok, recently shared how to deal with the problem.
According to him, the best thing you can do is pick them off. He said you need to remove any and all impacted leaves straight away, and the reason why is simple.
If you complete the task using secateurs, he said it’s vital to wash them afterwards. This step is essential, as it will stop the disease spreading to other plants.
However, he also noted you can simply pull them in the opposite direction of growth to remove them with ease. You then need to destroy anything you remove from your plants – don’t throw them in the compost heap.
If you’re unsure what it looks like, you need to look out for small, dark, rounded spots on the upper surfaces of leaves. They normally have a yellow halo.
Usually, the spots tend to grow and merge, which is what causes leaves to turn yellow and drop off. They can also appear on immature stems, so make sure you check your plants thoroughly.
Spores are dispersed by wind and water, so black spot can also spread to other roses nearby. As well as removing leaves, there are a few other things you can do to prevent the problem.
For example, you can apply fungicides, especially in the spring, to help protect plants from infection. Roses also benefit from having plenty of space to enable good air circulation.
Having a good amount of sunlight also allows roses to dry out more quickly after watering. Using a mulch can also help to maintain soil moisture and keep weeds at bay.
Describing the symptoms of black spot, Gardener’s World says: “Leaves are disfigured by poorly defined purple-brownish-black blotches. The leaves then turn yellow and fall. Stems might also be affected.
“Pick up and destroy fallen leaves. When pruning, cut out any stems with black spot on.
“In late-winter, spread a thick layer of mulch around the base of the affected plant to prevent rain splashing soil-borne spores on to new spring growth. Grow rose varieties that are resistant to black spot – these are suggested in the catalogues of specialist rose growers.”
Talking about how to treat the problem with chemicals, it adds: “Spray against black spot with a fungicide. Follow the instructions, treating the new foliage in early spring, with further sprayings at regular intervals through the season.”
With these simple tips, you should be able to work to protect your plants. Just remember that early detection is key.