Roses: Pests and Diseases

Roses: Pests and Diseases
Beautiful as they are, roses can be attacked by pests and diseases. Find out about some of the more common ones

Please remember that if you use insecticides to destroy pests, you should do so in the evening to avoid killing beneficial creatures like bees. Also avoid killing ladybirds (ladybugs) because they prey on aphids.

Pest	Symptoms	Treatment
Aphids	A sticky substance on leaves & buds, sooty moulds	Use tar oil wash in winter, when aphids are present use insecticide like pirimicarb or spray with soapy water.
Black Spot	Black spots on leaves caused by bacteria.	Try not to splash the leaves. Use a spray specially formulated for black spot.
Leaf Cutting Bees	This affects mainly roses but can occur to other shrubs too. Circular holes are cut into the edges of leaves which are used to build nests.	Please don't do anything because these bees are beneficial as pollinators and the damage is usually just cosmetic.
Leaf Rolling Sawflies	Young leaves are rolled into tubes caused by chemicals from the female when it lays eggs. The larvae, which look like caterpillars, feed inside the tubes.	Remove and burn affected leaves
Powdery Mildew	A white powdery deposit, often on leaves.	This is caused by a variety of fungi and usually caused by dry conditions. Water and mulch susceptibles plants, remove all affected leaves and stems. Spray with a fungicide if necessary.
Rust	Bright orange or dark brown spores inside pustules on the stems.	Remove and burn affected stems. Clear leaf and other litter from beneath plants where the fungal spores can overwinter. Spray with a fungicide.


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