Low Toxic Control of Black Spot and Mildew

by maintaining a mulch of 'Gro-Cubes' which keeps roots moist and cool, lowering humidity around the plant. Diseases thrive in humid situations. Mulches supress weeds which also harbour disease as well as pests. Ensure plenty of air circulation around the plants, direct watering to the ground and not the foliage (which can remain wet at night), prune bushes twice a year and deadhead regularly to maintain robust growth which is less susceptible. Pick off diseased foliage as soon as it noticed to prevent rapid spread of disease spores. Begin a regular spray programme with black spot control chemicals as plants come into spring growth and maintain this throughout the summer to keep foliage disease free.

Try Swane's Low Toxicity Control recipe in addition to the mainstream chemicals : mix 3 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda to a paste consistency with a little water. Add that mixture to 2.5 tablespoons of Pestoil. This is then blended with 4.5 litres of water. Keep it agitated while spraying new foliage to the point of runoff. This needs to be kept to a weekly cycle for best results. This programme has great benefit when used in conjunction with proprietary rose sprays and good cultural conditions. It also has been proven that a regular application of a kelp or seaweed based liquid fertiliser as a foliage spray helps to build the thickness of the leaf cell wall thus aiding the resistance to disease.


Rose Care
Modern roses are easy to grow. They tolerate a wide range of climate from hot to cold. Roses will bloom for up to nine months each year and can live upwards of 100 years when given due care.

An excellent video is available in which Ben Swane visually explains in detail, methods of planting, fertilising, watering and pruning roses.

Position
Roses need sun, a minimum of 5 hours uninterrupted per day.

Soil must drain freely, it is incorrect to assume that roses will tolerate tight clay soil. In such positions it is best to build a berm on which the plant can grow free of the soil that may have little aeration due to high moisture content.
Exposure to strong winds will cause a higher than normal water demand. Remember to water slowly and mulch often.

Pot Sizes

Following are our recommendations for minimum pot size for successful cultivation of roses in containers.

>Miniature roses - bush or tree - 30cm diameter
Hybrid tea or floribunda bush roses - 40cm minimum diameter
Hybrid tea or floribunda tree roses - 50cm min. diameter

Weeping tree roses need heavy containers to prevent them being blown over in wind - 100cm min diameter
Ground cover or China doll weeping - hanging baskets of not less than 35cm diameter

Re-Potting Roses

Re pot roses grown in containers every 3 years. For best results do this in July or early August when the rose is dormant. Remove the plant from the pot, hose off or fork away the soil from the roots. Prune the root system by approximately one third of the root mass. Prune the top of the rose plant by approximately 40% to 60% of stem and re-pot into fresh Swane's Potting or Rose Mix.

Insect Pests

Thrips, two spotted mite and aphids are the most common rose pests. Thrips and aphids can be deterred by spraying with domestic rose sprays as well as Swane's organic style recipe, but two spotted mite is less easily controlled. Seek the help of Swane's qualified staff for the correct control methods or as a chemical alternative use a miticide such as Kelthane. You may find that two spotted mite attack is concentrated on a specific bush. Consider removal of any plant in the garden where the mite continues to harbour and multiply. A small black weevil which bores holes in buds and flowers can be controlled by the use of the domestic rose sprays or Swane's organic recipe. Rose scales can be controlled using lime sulphur after the winter prune or using Swane's organic recipe during the summer months.