Thanks Debra, you're such a sweetie!
Becky, I'm so sorry, but glad now you know what you're seeing. It can effect any roses growing nearby simply because the mites are carried on wind currents, however I have several survivors that lived within 6' of an infected plants. I'm unsure what kept those safe, but suspect they were resistant to the mites.
I'm unsure how long the mites can live without a host, although I found no information indicating a garden could be infested after the host plant was removed. The main concern I read about was getting all the roots of infected plants out so that no infected sprouts show up later. Various sources also indicated that the soil the infected plant was growing in does not hold the disease, and roses can be grown there again in the future.
How long to wait before adding new roses? My aim was 1 entire growing season with no new signs of infection. I don't think you have to give up on growing roses necessarily, but you will need to find the source of infection- otherwise all your roses are still in danger. Now that you know what to look for, look at neighbors yards and any roses growing within 100 yards. It is possible the virus came to your garden from infected nursery stock- that would be the best scenario. If neighbors or nearby businesses are harboring infected plants, that can be more difficult. Informing people they have a responsibility that entails investment and labor often isn't received well. Its a good idea to have some literature to back up what you're telling them, especially if dealing with a business.
Fingers crossed that your climbers have remained healthy! Keep close watch on them, and good luck!
