Getting rid of powdery mildew on roses

There are chemical and folk remedies measures to combat powdery mildew On roses. Powdery mildew itself is a disease caused by microscopic fungi that are parasites. The infection can be noticed within the first few days, and if left untreated, the disease will progress.

A white coating appears on the surface of affected leaves and buds. This is fungal mycelium, where spores mature, forming sticky droplets. This striking appearance on the plant gives this disease its name.

Important! Most often, rose infection begins with leaves or young shoots, later the disease spreads to petioles, stalks and the flowers themselves.

The infection begins in the parts of the rose closest to the ground. But without proper control measures, the infection gradually spreads to the entire rose bush, and then to neighboring greenery.

How to recognize it and what the danger is

The photo shows what powdery mildew looks like on roses. Control measures should be taken even at the slightest infestation, as the disease progresses quickly and ultimately leads to the death of the plant. How to visually identify the disease has already been described above, and photos will certainly help. There will be a grayish or white coating, which will then develop brown sticky balls. Over time, the coating thickens and turns brown.

Rose bushes affected by powdery mildew lose their decorative appeal. If the plant is severely affected, its growth stops, and leaves and buds turn black and die. Affected inflorescences subsequently fail to produce fruit. Furthermore, the disease causes shoots and buds to rapidly lose their winter hardiness, ultimately leading to frostbite even with proper protection.

Important! Powdery mildew typically infects roses in the summer, when the spores are released from the fungal fruiting body after overwintering. Read about it. How to prepare garden roses for shelterfor the winter.

Favorable conditions for development

For fungal spores to actively multiply on roses, a hot, dry summer is necessary, along with sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Powdery mildew also often develops when the grower over-fertilizes roses with nitrogen.

Factors that trigger the disease's development include rejuvenating pruning, which reduces the plant's resistance to diseases and pests. Spores from infected plants are also spread by wind or splashing water, as well as by direct contact between roses.

What prevention should be carried out:

1. Remove and burn plant residues in a timely manner, observe crop rotation rules.
2. Avoid overfeeding the plant with nitrogen fertilizers, especially during bud formation. Fertilizing with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers is recommended to increase the plant's resistance to this pathogen.
3. Use of fungicides for treatment
4. Powdery mildew on roses: home control measures necessarily involve the proper use of chemicals. Fungicides are chemicals specifically designed to combat fungal diseases on roses and other plants. Consider products such as "Skor," "Zato," "Rayok," and others.
5. If you use one product for too long, powdery mildew can adapt to its active ingredient. Therefore, you should periodically change chemical products and use them strictly according to the manufacturer's instructions and in the quantities specified.

Powdery mildew on roses: control measures using folk remedies:

1. You can dissolve just four grams of washing soda in a liter of water and add the same amount of laundry soap shavings. Mix everything together and use the mixture to spray the plant, repeating the treatment after a week (preparing a new solution).
2. You can pour 100 grams of ash into a liter of boiling water and let it steep for two days. Then strain the infusion and add four grams of soap shavings. Repeat treatments at weekly intervals until the disease is completely eradicated.
3. You can make a mullein-based solution by taking one-third of a bucket of manure and adding cold water. Let it sit for three days, stirring daily. Strain the solution and mix it with water at a ratio of one part to ten. Use it to spray roses in the evening.

If you detect the development of powdery mildew in time on roses, Then, dealing with the disease won't be difficult. It's important to heed the specific recommendations of experienced gardeners and, of course, remember to practice preventative measures in the future.