I've tried the milk and water thing for black spot and it does work. My problem is I have climbers that are really big and the pump sprayer can't reach. My hose end sprayer would reach far enough, but I don't know how to set the dial to get the ratio right. The ratio I use in the pump sprayer is 1 cup milk to 11 cups water. I can set the dial on the hose end sprayer from 1 tsp to 1 cup per gallon. If I make it more dilute will it still work?
Then I found this recipe on Howard Garrett's website.
3 Tablespoons natural apple cider vinegar in one gallon water. Adding 1 tablespoon per gallon will help.
Has anybody tried this?
black spot problems
Haven't tried either, but interesting info. I read a couple of places that the cause of black spot was contributed to lack of potassium in the soil. I think I remember fluctuating soil moisture was also a cause.
ok let me get this straight.
milk? any kind of milk??
. . .sorry i havent drunk the stuff in decades
now there are sooo many different varieties - so I need to know
- which kind you use.
and what is this Black Spot?
yes i know it causes a black spot but on which plants??
What is/causes it?
What I've been told is that you can use absolutely any kind of milk, 2%, no fat, whole milk. Makes no difference. Even chocolate milk. Even sour milk.
Black spot is a fungus I think that attacks roses. I don't know if it bothers anything else.
I have blackspot on my roses too. I had two which were not infected but became infected after my battle with Japanese beetles last year. I tried removing all the leaf litter, organic fungicides and home made remedies and so far nothing. I am soooooo close to buying a chemical to help them. I keep holding back. I am going to try the potassium thing by adding banana peels into the dirt first we will see.
Some varieties of roses have more trouble with blackspot than others. It could be that you just need a different variety. I don't know anything about your area, so I have no idea which ones would be better. Which ones do you have?
I have hot cocoa, rainbow sherbert, tropicana and michangelo. Michelangelo and tropicana seem to be the least affected. Rainbow sherbert is not doing too well but hot cocoa is in serious trouble. I may just have to go with a knock out rose in this area. I love the color of these roses but I am really unsure how to save them.
I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about those particular roses. I wish I could help. There are probably lots of roses that are very hardy in your area that don't do well down here. This forum should be a good place to find that out. But you might also try your regional forum. Some roses simply don't do well in certain areas. Are yours own root roses or are they grafted?
I believe they are their own root. Two are Jackson and Perkins and the others are star roses. I believe you are correct about the area. We lived in Oklahoma for three years (spouse in air force) and my roses were beautiful. My mom, grandmothers, friends ect... have encountered black spot with their roses.( all mid-atlantic) I even remember this as a young girl. They would always treat them with chemicals but I am trying to do everything organically but I feel I am failing miserably with the roses.
This message was edited Jun 7, 2009 11:52 PM
Please don't give up on organics. It's so much better and easier in the long run if you let " nature pick your plants". By that I mean pick plants that do well in your area with minimal care. They are much more rewarding because you don't spend so much time trying to "bend" the forces of nature. Once you start messing with the balance of nature by using harsh chemicals and synthetics you'll have to continue to try and "fix" something else that's out of balance.
For the most part my plants are native to this area or at least this country. I do try to grow plants which are easily maintained with little fuss. I wanted some roses because I created my version of an English garden. I do try and grow everything organically especially my vegetables and herbs. I think I may have to give up on the roses and let nature take it's course because I don't want to add alot of chemicals to my soil and keep fighting a disease which is obviously prevelant here. Thanks for your advice and I am sure you are right.
I think I will look into the knock out roses because they are supposed to be disease resistant in this area.
I wish you luck. I don't know anything about Knock out roses, but they are very popular down here. Lots of people on DG have them. You could start a new thread specifically on growing them in your area.
silverfluter--my Hot Cocoa is always covered with BS by early summer, but it doesn't kill it, and it always comes back with nice fall and spring blooms, FYI. Its such a unique color, I'd just leave it, use the organic controls, and try to plant something that grows a bit tall to hide the bush for the summer, then cut it back for spring and fall.