Garden

[JustJazzmom]

@Grade1Teach If they get too tall, you can cut them back by half now. Trim any dead or crossing branches. Knock Outs do bloom on their tips. I try to keep my Double Knock Out under 4’. I pruned mine before our last nor’easter. 

The Austins are not as disease resistant as the Knock Outs. Look at Queen of Sweden among the Austins. 

When buying roses, look for ‘excellent disease resistance’ in the online descriptions. 

[violann]

So many thanks to all of you who took your time to give me this help!

We are still living within the threat of snow and it warms my heart to think about shopping for roses to brighten my new yard.

I’m going to print out ALL of your suggestions to take with me to my local garden stores.

Please know, if you have posted here, that your help has meant the world to me.

[skuggles]

Drift roses and knoock outs are susceptible to a virus called rose rosette disease. I had three knockouts and all of them had it. Two dies rather quickly a few years. The third will probably die this year. They were stunning before they got it when they matured.

[JustJazzmom]

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@skuggles wrote:

Drift roses and knoock outs are susceptible to a virus called rose rosette disease. I had three knockouts and all of them had it. Two dies rather quickly a few years. The third will probably die this year. They were stunning before they got it when they matured.

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Actually all cultivated roses are subject to this virus. You need to be aware of the symptoms — a ‘witches broom’ of stems that remain red and do not turn green or woody colored over time. Blooms will be smaller than normal on virus affected roses. You may see excessive thorniness on the stems as compared to other parts of the plant. One side of the rose may be affected & the other side ‘normal’. 

Google for photos to see the symptoms.

When any of these symptoms occur, you must remove the entire rose plant (do not leave any roots behind & toss the rose out.) You May be able to replant in that area as the virus lives in the plant itself & not the soil.

RRD (rose rosette disease) is spread by mites that come from wild roses. It is affecting many roses throughout Texas & NC. I have seen it on LI on a polyantha rose, a Hot Cocoa, a Double Knockout & a Fairy rose. All were removed and tossed out & were in 2 public gardens & one private garden. 

RRD can also mimic chemical RoundUp damage so be very sure before trashing. Ask your neighbors if they used RoundUp or glyphosate in their garden on a windy day. 

[skuggles]

@ Jazzmon https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/10/rose-rosette-disease/7566221/

[JustJazzmom]

@skuggles, the article describes what I mentioned. 

Those of us who grow Knockouts, notice that aphids do not go near them.

I do wonder with the extreme hurricanes we have experienced in recent years  if they are a  contributing factor to the spread of the mites. 

The link in that USA Today article (at the end) is not a working link to info about RRD. 

But this one is with color photos: http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/frequently-asked-question-about-rose-rosette-virus/

[JustJazzmom]

This article is written by Ann Peck, one of the leading researchers of RRD:

http://www.rose.org/rose-care-articles/rose-rosette-disease-sadly/

[skuggles]

Yes, I'm quite familiar with it. That's why it is not a good recommendation imo.

[kathya1119]

Any rose will be susceptible to rose rosette disease. It's transmitted by a mite blown in by the wind. Wild stands of rugosa roses are the common hosts. Once there's one infected rose in your garden, the rest of your garden is at risk. Dig up the infected rose as soon as  you see affected foliage and dispose of it.