Pests and diseases of rose bushes

To start talking about the pests and diseases of roses, we will focus on the former. Thus, although there are many pests that can affect plants, the most common pests of rose bushes are the following:

Aphids in rose bushes

Aphids are one of the most common pests of all garden plants and all types of crops, and rose bushes are no exception. In fact, aphids are the main pests on roses. These small insects, no more than 3mm in size, tend to be green in color, although some species differ on that point. Its damage is focused on the young shoots, from which the adults suck the sap. In addition, their larvae form galleries in the leaves, also harmful. As if all this were not enough, they excrete a sugary molasses that is a claim for ants and can favor the appearance of the bold fungus.

Red spider

This is the second most common pest on rose bushes. Despite its name, it is actually a small eight-legged mite, which tends to be reddish or coppery in color but can appear white or black depending on the species. Like aphids, they feed on the plant by sucking its sap and form thick silks when there are large numbers of them. Its presence can be identified by the large number of small discolored spots that can be seen on the leaves of the plants.

Among the main rose bushes diseases are some caused by fungi, which attack any part of the plant, especially the roots, but which we can detect more easily by the state of the leaves and flowers.

Roya

Rust is one of the main fungi that usually attack rose bushes. Like all fungi, it develops when humidity is very high. It can be easily identified by the presence of spots of orange or yellowish tone and a bulging appearance on the underside of the leaves and because they are drying out. It tends to appear especially after periods of heavy rain, when the temperature is mild.

Powdery mildew in the rose bushes

Along with rust, they are the most common fungi to see on rose bushes. Powdery mildew can be recognized by its formation of white spots on the leaves , stems or fruits, which end up forming a powder of that gray or white tone, similar to ash. It appears when the humidity is high and the temperature is warm. If it is not controlled in time, it will end up drying the leaves and causing them to fall, which can be very harmful over time.

Marsson

The presence of this fungus can be identified by the blackish spots and rounded shape that appear on some leaves of the rose bush. It is a fungus that spreads using the splashes of raindrops or irrigation, so you have to be careful with the type of irrigation used.

In the case of having to remove a plague of aphids from the rose bush , one of the most natural and effective ways to combat them is by getting ladybugs in our garden . These small, friendly-looking insects are voracious aphid predators and will end the infestation in no time. It also works to spray them with water with potassium soap or to wash the dishes or, with an infusion of onion or garlic. Garlic broth or infusion and potash soap are also effective in fighting spider mites.

In this link you can learn much more about home remedies to eliminate aphids in plants and how to apply them.

Against powdery mildew, marssonin and rust, once these fungi have appeared, a solution of milk and water can be used which, when sprayed on the affected areas, will help to eliminate them. This solution, in fact, works against a large number of fungi, but if you want to know more ways to combat fungus in rose bushes and other plants, we recommend these other articles that are very practical guides:

• How to combat rust .
• How to combat powdery mildew with home remedies .
• Homemade fungicides .

To finish, these are some tips to prevent pests and diseases in rose bushes :

• The infusion of garlic is also a great preventive against the appearance of fungi and some pests. It must be applied for several consecutive days in times of risk for the appearance of the plague or fungus in question. It is advisable to apply the infusion at times when the rosebush is no longer in direct sunlight, to prevent it from burning and to act for a longer period of time.
• Another of the best ways to prevent the attack of pests in rose bushes is to use the biological control technique . This focuses on introducing into the garden the natural predator of the pest that we want to avoid, such as, for example, as we have already indicated before, ladybugs to control aphids. If you want to know more about this technique, see our article on Biological Pest Control: what it is, advantages and disadvantages .
• In addition, always try not to overdo the waterings , since excess humidity favors the appearance of diseases, and do not wet the leaves when watering your rose bushes.

Now that you know the basics about pests and diseases that attack roses, we advise you to learn about some more with this other post about Pests and diseases of plants: lists and how to eliminate them .

If you want to read more articles similar to Pests and diseases of rose bushes , we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants .