Guys,

I have a friend who is experiencing something I've never experienced in my neck of the woods. Anyone have any idea what my friend Jerry's problem may be? See his comments below. He is an avid gardener, just does not grow a whole lot of roses.

"Understand, I only dabble in roses, but about 10 years ago I decided to plant a few. The lineup has changed a bit through the years as I lost some, gained some - but nothing like this before. Several weeks ago, I noticed some leaves on my Chrysler Imperial were turning brown. Gradually that entire stem turned brown and died - but the stem was the last to go, no sign of disease on it. Then another stem on that rose did the same thing. I decided maybe I had gotten some Roundup on it (I had sprayed some nutgrass nearby). But then, about a week ago, I realized a couple of other roses nearby were doing the same thing - one a Chicago Peace, one a new Graham Thomas in a large pot - were showing the same symptoms. No Roundup near those. But the only symptom is the brown leaves followed by dead stem, followed by dying leaves on another stem. "

Alan

When I lose a rose, that's exactly what happens to me. I figure that it's that I'm not watering enough so end up drowning the poor thing. I've lost 4-5 just like that. Slowly, one by one, the leaves turn brown, fall off, then then cane turns brown (not the normal black, but brown) and is DOA.

Maybe there's a fungus in the bud union?

That is normal symptoms for not watering enough, but they've been getting plenty of rain there...so I don't think that is the issue. I've just found out the roses have been planted for several years too...so they are established.

I've had that happen when my solenoid on my drip irrigation system went out. I hate it when that happens. So now I just replace the solenoid's once per year, in the spring, to reduce the risk of that happening. Solenoid are cheap.

Alan

I water by hand so that I have to come face to face (as it were) with the legions of weeds I cultivate and maybe get inspired to pull up the biggest ones. Fortunately my solenoid has not required replacement!

Almost all of the leaves on the potted bands I bought this year turned brown, usually from the tips, and fell off. This included roses from two suppliers. But in all the cases I can think of, the canes stayed green and the roses put out more leaves. Because they are all new, I've been watering every day, usually just before dusk. And I check the next morning and notice that the ground is still moist. (Easy since it dips into 50's at night here)

If it's not how much water that's in the soil, then it must be something that interferes with water uptake Not sure what that would be. Would build-up of salts cause water uptake to suffer seriously? Or could dryness cause the death of beneficial microbes that help with water uptake?

I once planted Penelope on the north side of my house in NJ. It grew wonderfully for a year. Then there was a dry spell and it collapsed. I moved it to a place where I could water it more regularly, and it never recovered. It makes me wonder if sometimes dryness will cause some transformation in the roots, maybe kill a beneficial organism there, causing them not to work properly again. It certainly did not happen with Buff Beauty whose roots roasted under four inches of compacted clay next to a driveway. So I guess response to dry soil might depend on the cultivar. FWIW.

Also depends on the rose itself I think, personally. I have some more delicate roses that don't seem to like me at all (RedGold... one of my favorites) and they're sitting less than 2 feet away from BlueGirl, which are growing like weeds (but not fast enough to overcome the pigweed that takes over my yard every year.. this WILL be the last year I have pigweed, so help me god!!!).

Never thought about salts. Probably because I've never lived in a salty area.

Now Toni, don't get me started on weeds....grrrrr. Even Datura and Native Arizona Poinsetta is a weed in my garden. I can't get rid of em!!!

alan

Isn't it amazing how some of the "weeds" in your garden are bought by other people at nurseries? I have a big problem with Lemon Balm, which wants to come up everywhere in my garden, and I can't believe anyone would pay money for it. And don't even get me started on the Arum. It ruins the entire half-acre from October to March, but other people pay big bucks for it.

Another big problem for me is wild carrots...sheeze those things come up everywhere, and they have such a deep tap room there hard to get out without breaking them off!

Alan

*cries* Why oh WHY can't I have weeds like yours? I get this:

Russian Knapweed http://www.ext.colostate.edu/p...
Musk Thistle http://www.ext.colostate.edu/p...
Pigweed http://davesgarden.com/guides/...
Bindweed (chokes plants to death) http://www.coloradoplants.org/...
Wild Lettuce http://www.coloradoplants.org/...
Showy Milkweed (keep it for the butterflies ONLY) http://www.coloradoplants.org/...

I have all of these in my teeny yard. I keep pulling up everything, but until I can get in my five-hundred-billion CYs of mulch, I'll just have to keep on pullin'.

I think here it's mostly pigweed. When I moved in the entire garden was overgrown with it, waist high. And I'm assuming that if I work assiduously at weeding and mulching I will have it down to a manageable nuisance in about, say, a decade.

There are a number of native grasses that I tolerate in one place but that pop up in others.

Then there is white yarrow. The first year I cultivated it. The second year I tried to confine it to its own space. Next year I think I will be treating it as a weed -- except in one or two specific places where it seems to be the only thing that will grow except for pigweed. I wouldn't be surprised if in three more years I will add it to the eradication list.

FInally there is sweet clover. It will, in eight or ten weeks grow chest high and two feet across if it gets any supplemental water. While the garden is young and full of weeds I tolerate it because I happen to be gaga about the smell of it, but I do try to dig it up before it sets seed. I enjoy adding its dried leaves to the holes of my new roses.

Your last sentence is enigmatic. Why do your new roses have holes?

Perhaps he means the holes in which they will be planted?

Oh, thank you, Porkpal. My roses currently are full of holes from the curculio weevils and I couldn't see how dried clover poked into the holes would improve their appearance.

LOL! I guess it should have been written "I enjoy adding its dried leaves to the holes FOR my new roses."

:) :)

- I don't know; I could be wrong. Patchwork may be involved...

I think I was late for my siesta. It should have read "for."

Meanwhile some hoofed creature is deadheading all my roses ... before the blooms are spent.
Came back from a bike hike yesterday PM. Hoof prints at every rose with missing blossoms. All the blossoms gone on, like, ten or fifteen plants. A few of the polyanthas and minis escaped. My guess is that it's a deer that came over the fence. But it might have been a javelina that found a way under the fence.

Grrrr.

I'm betting on the deer. Javelinas make a much bigger mess.

From what I just read, javelina prints are not as pointed as deer hoofs.

http://www.javelinahunter.com/...

This time I think it was deer. Thanks for the help!

Went into the garden two hours later and Bambi was there, munching on my bean plants. Stood and stared at me, like a deer frozen in the headlights. I picked up a shovel and got within fifteen feet of her when, from a complete stop - and while standing in deep, loose, sand - she jumped over the fence, just catching her hind hooves on the tip of the fence. So I think it is Bambi who has been eating my tomato plants and my potato plants, too. Maybe even the onions. Beans, tomatoes, potatoes, and onions. Sounds like a pretty balanced diet.