What would kill several roses in my rose garden - Ask Extension
I have a rose garden - most plants are 10 years plus in age. Last summer i put in some new mulch which my neighbor had left over from a load he had o...
Knowledgebase
What would kill several roses in my rose garden #865175
Asked April 19, 2024, 5:49 PM EDT
I have a rose garden - most plants are 10 years plus in age. Last summer i put in some new mulch which my neighbor had left over from a load he had ordered and five of the ten plants died before the summer was over. Two of them were brand new plants. Could mulch have caused this? If so, what can I do so I can plant new bushes?
Thank you!
Arapahoe County Colorado
Expert Response
Berta,
Thank you for your question.
I am sorry for the loss of your roses. There are a number of possibilities:
1.Was the new mulch used on the ground of the other 5 roses? If it were the mulch that caused damage I would tend to think the damage would be seen with the other roses as well. How about your neighbor's plants? Do they have any damage?
2. Were any chemicals sprayed near your roses? Possibly in the turf or nearby area. The drift from a chemical spray could have caused damage to your roses. Did you use any chemicals, systemic sprays or any other type of chemical on the roses?
3.I would cut back some of the canes and see if there is any cane borer damage. The stem will have a hollow area where the greenish pith should be. Sometimes cane borers can cause significant damage to roses. Any other insect pests on your roses last year?
4.Did you amend the soil when you planted the new roses? If so what soil amendment did you use? Did you fertilize your roses and if so what fertilizer did you use?
5.Are these grafted roses? If not and the root system is still functioning then they might come up from root. If they are grafted roses then if they come up from root it will be the rose that the top rose was grafted onto. Are there any new leaves on these roses at all?
I have included links below for additional information:
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/selecting-and-planting-roses-7-404/?_gl=1
This link is about rose cane borers:
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/insects-diseases/1463-rose-cane-borer/
This link is regarding rose diseases:
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/insects-diseases/1433-rose-diseases/
I cannot say what has caused your roses to die. There is no way for us to narrow down the possibilities without further information. If you could send pictures of the damage we can take a look and see if we recognize any causal agents. If the roses do not have any new growth/leaves and you dig them up take a good look at the root system, surrounding soil and area to see if you notice anything odd about this area and/or soil. Watch the other 5 roses carefully for any damage to them.
Thank you for your question.
I am sorry for the loss of your roses. There are a number of possibilities:
1.Was the new mulch used on the ground of the other 5 roses? If it were the mulch that caused damage I would tend to think the damage would be seen with the other roses as well. How about your neighbor's plants? Do they have any damage?
2. Were any chemicals sprayed near your roses? Possibly in the turf or nearby area. The drift from a chemical spray could have caused damage to your roses. Did you use any chemicals, systemic sprays or any other type of chemical on the roses?
3.I would cut back some of the canes and see if there is any cane borer damage. The stem will have a hollow area where the greenish pith should be. Sometimes cane borers can cause significant damage to roses. Any other insect pests on your roses last year?
4.Did you amend the soil when you planted the new roses? If so what soil amendment did you use? Did you fertilize your roses and if so what fertilizer did you use?
5.Are these grafted roses? If not and the root system is still functioning then they might come up from root. If they are grafted roses then if they come up from root it will be the rose that the top rose was grafted onto. Are there any new leaves on these roses at all?
I have included links below for additional information:
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/selecting-and-planting-roses-7-404/?_gl=1
This link is about rose cane borers:
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/insects-diseases/1463-rose-cane-borer/
This link is regarding rose diseases:
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/insects-diseases/1433-rose-diseases/
I cannot say what has caused your roses to die. There is no way for us to narrow down the possibilities without further information. If you could send pictures of the damage we can take a look and see if we recognize any causal agents. If the roses do not have any new growth/leaves and you dig them up take a good look at the root system, surrounding soil and area to see if you notice anything odd about this area and/or soil. Watch the other 5 roses carefully for any damage to them.
