Hello folks, Just wondering if anyone has experience with the red flower carpet rose. This is my 3rd year with them in the garden and for some reason they are covered in black spot this year (unlike the last 2 years) and are slowly losing all leaves... Any ideas whether it's something I may have done? I can't think of anything I did different this year. Anyone have this experience with these? They are in a full sun location (greater than 6 hours of sun a day). Thanks.
They probably have a disease called black spot - a very common disease among roses. The attachment has some management practices you should read up on - taken from Ohio St Extension. Good Luck!
Hello Harry and thanks for your reply. I know that they have black spot and I have tried the usual control measures on my other roses over the years....I guess I should have been a little more specific in my question - Supposedly, the 'flower carpet roses' do not get black spot...which is what I was hoping...first 2 years were okay, but not this year. So, I was just wondering if it may be something I'm doing culturally or if this is just a marketing strategy for the 'flower carpet roses'.... Just wondering what other people's experience is with the 'flower carpet roses'. Thanks again. G.
Ok. I'm overdue for posting an update on this. I think that I partially caused the problem; along with the fact that it was a cold wet spring this year (2010). I had not cut the roses back hard enough and in early spring as I should have. Instead, I had cut them down to only about 2 feet and did that in fall 2009. Given the mild winter we had here 2009-2010, I got very early growth on the roses...and these leaves are what all got black spot and dropped in spring - HOWEVER, by early summer they were lush green and beautiful again. Now I realize that I should have chopped them back to about 8-10 inches in late winter / early spring. I am learning still, and now realize that 'disease-free/resistant' is a relative term... although for the most part, these flower carpet roses do perform as advertised. I do love them.
