How to Troubleshoot Home Run Rose Problems

Examine the leaves of your home run roses. Many rose diseases will leave signs on the leaves. For example, black spot first appears on the leaves as tiny black spots with yellow rings. These spots grow in size until the entire leaf turns yellow and falls off. Mildew often appears on leaves as a white dusting of powder. Rust looks like a reddish-orange raised spot. Stunted or off-color foliage may be a symptom of over-fertilization. Crescent-shaped cuts in leaves may be a sign of infestation by leaf cutting insects or root weevils. Rolled or curled leaves are the mark of leaf roller caterpillars or aphids.

Look at new growth such as the tips of rose canes and buds under a magnifying glass. New growth is often the target of bugs such as aphids, cane borers and thrips. Aphids appear as tiny green or white insects. Thrips will cause rose buds to not open or to turn brown around the edges. Twig blight may be another reason that roses do not open.

Dig back the soil to look over the roots of Home Run roses. If the rose crown or roots have tumor-like growths, this is a sign of crown gall.

Check the canes of Home Run roses for discolored spots that gradually enlarge. These spots are cankers, which are an indicator of rose canker.

Take photos of the signs of trouble. Compare these photos against documented symptoms of rose problems in rose specialty books and gardening guides. Another good resource for comparison is the American Rose society.

Take a cutting of your Home Run rose bush and place it inside a plastic bag. Transport your cutting to your local county extension service. An agent with the extension service can tell you what diseases are most prevalent in roses locally, and can confirm your rose disease diagnosis.