Rose Woes

[Nutes and Nugs]

Every year my rose bush starts getting yellow leaves and something appears to be eating the leaves. Small holes then entire leaves disappear.
I look under the leaves but never see anything. Maybe something eats them at night?
It's a large outside rose bush that's no doubt 60+ years old.
Any suggestions?

 

[UncleBuck]

a bit late now and not sure this the cause of your problem, but defoliating the first 18'' early on will do wonders for your roses all season.

 

[Nutes and Nugs]

a bit late now and not sure this the cause of your problem, but defoliating the first 18'' early on will do wonders for your roses all season.

Not sure I read you Buck.
This bush is like 8 feet tall. I do prune out the dead canes and canes that cross each other in early spring b4 it starts to grow.
No nutes or extra water, just rainfall.

 

[dannyboy602]

i see blackspot. but thats a disease problem. try one of the organic pesticides i read about here. it has rosemary oil, pepper oil and all kinds of things bugs wont eat. or you can try safer soap...very safe. the bugs will eat their fill then move on but the blackspot won't stop until your whole plant is defoliated.

 

[mellokitty]

i see blackspot. but thats a disease problem. try one of the organic pesticides i read about here. it has rosemary oil, pepper oil and all kinds of things bugs wont eat. or you can try safer soap...very safe. the bugs will eat their fill then move on but the blackspot won't stop until your whole plant is defoliated.

i second that.
i would try treating with a mild fungicide after it drops its leaves at the end of this season, and again next spring when leafbuds start forming.
my favourite fungicide is whey (the watery stuff from plain yogurt) and water. 1:10 ratio.

 

[NietzscheKeen]

I use Bonide Fruit Tree Spray. It seems to work on my rose bushes as well.