A gardener has shared how you can save your vibrant rose plants from one of the “most serious” diseases, just by using a £1.20 fridge staple.
Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to care for our plants and flowers, fungus can get the better of them, which can be incredibly frustrating.
But Joe, a keen gardener, who documents his tips and tricks on his blog In the Wild Garden, has found an easy, chemical-free way to remove the dreaded black spot on the likes of English roses, shrub roses and more.
He explained: “Black spot on roses is caused by a fungus, Diplocarpon rosae, and is one of the most serious diseases that affect roses.
“Dark brown to black spots appear on the leaves, gradually increasing in size, and ultimately turning the leaf yellow before it falls from the stem.
“Left untreated, black spot will spread to other leaves on the plant, and soon to other roses nearby.”
How do you treat black spot on roses?
So how do you get rid? As well as removing any affected leaves from the rose plant and its base (to stop the fungus from “lingering” and coming back), Joe recommends adding a “good layer” of mulch around the bottom, such as woodchip.
He continues: “The removed and collected leaves should be destroyed.
“Do not put them in your compost bin, as again, the fungus will linger.”
However, the gardening enthusiast who focuses on organic solutions when it comes to looking after his outdoor space, said the main treatment he suggests to get rid of black spot on rose plants is milk, but it comes with a “warning”.
Joe detailed: “Mix up a solution of 1 part milk (full fat milk) to 2 parts water in a spray bottle.
“Spray the remaining leaves of the plant with this solution, and repeat every week.
“One word of warning would be to do this in the evening, as the smell of milk in the garden on a hot day is not great.”
It’s recommended to mist the leaves and stems with the solution instead of soaking them.
If you’re wondering how milk can treat black spot on roses, Country Living said: “When milk is exposed to sunlight, it creates compounds that are actually toxic to fungal spores, keeping black spots at bay.
“Milk also creates a coating on the leaves, providing a protective barrier against infection.”
It added: “If you do apply the milk spray in the evening, ensure the plants have enough time to dry, as leaving them overnight could lead to unwanted pests.”
Joe confirmed his roses did recover from black spot after using the milk solution.
He posted on his blog In the Wild Garden: “My own roses were suffering badly with blackspot – so much so, and as the RHS have already pointed out, I was going to give up on them.
“Deciding to take drastic action, I began by stripping all of the infected leaves.
“I carried out the organic treatment regime of spraying the 2 to 1 water/milk solution every week for a month, and my roses did recover.
“Keeping the plants as healthy as can be gives them a better chance.
“Giving them 5 litres of water per week (as per the David Austin’s basics of growing roses) and watering at the base.
“A good tip I got on Instagram was to remove the bottom few leaves to stop them getting splashed.”
Do roses do better in pots or in the ground?
The RHS advises: “Only a few roses are tolerant of being grown in containers, as roses generally have long shallow roots for anchoring the plant and searching out moisture and nutrients.
“As long as deep containers are chosen, a good show of blooms should be achieved.
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“The best roses for growing in containers are the patio and miniature types, which can be grown in fairly small but deep pots 23-35cm (9-14in) deep.
“You could also try growing less vigorous, more compact ground cover and climbing roses, but use larger containers with a minimum depth of 30-45cm (12-18in).”
How many roses do you have in your garden? Let us know your favourite varieties in the comments below.
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