The first gardening chores of spring should be fun. If you start off by cleaning, trimming, weeding, and pulling you will get sore. Best to begin slowly. In keeping with that theory, I planted a pot of pansies Saturday.
Then I inspected one of my pots of tulips out back. Inspecting counts as a chore by the way. I am shocked and delighted that these are doing so well.
I have been informed that my six knock out roses in various spots in my garden have "witches broom". Some kind of fungus in the soil that will affect another rose if I try and replace them. I am going to have to do some reading about this. In the meantime I can NOT be without roses to cut and bring in the house. So... you guessed it. Into a pot one went.
If any of you master gardeners out there know anything about witches broom I would love to hear it. Especially the part about what I can do to get rid of it.
Love the pot you planted your pansies in! Did you make it?
Posted by: Rhonda | 04/09/2013 at 07:48 AM
Rhonda: yes, that was my one attempt at making a mosaic. It has held up remarkably well over the years. Carol
Posted by: Carol | 04/09/2013 at 08:22 AM
Doesn't sound positive for your rose. Here is one link with info: http://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/article.php?id=313
Posted by: Judy H. | 04/09/2013 at 09:26 AM
I have had the rose virus (did not know it was called witches broom) for 10 years. I am now down to 2 roses....sigh. Even after waiting 4 years to replant on of the roses, the disease reappeared...so it's definitely in the soil.
Posted by: jeanette, mistress of longears | 04/09/2013 at 09:57 AM
Perhaps a ceremonial dance at midnight during the full moon whilst draped in diaphanous dress and indulging in Potion of Peach Schnappes while tending the small fire set in a flame proof receptacle in which various ugly foul repulsive man clothes you can't stand looking at anymore are smoldering away, and chanting a few incantations of verse from The Orgasmic Gardener...might do the trick.
Posted by: violet cadburry | 04/09/2013 at 06:38 PM
Violet: if this doesn't do it, it is an incurable disease. I am off to engage in last ditch ceremonial dancing.
Posted by: Carol | 04/09/2013 at 08:51 PM
Carol, it is a nice pot (the mosaic) -- you should do more! Do you know who Gaudi is? If you like his work, you gotta take a trip to Barcelona! THEN you will REALLY want to do mosaics!
Posted by: Rhonda | 04/10/2013 at 08:03 AM
I am a MG and from the picture you have posted of your Knockout rose, it does not appear to be witches broom; it looks more like new, emerging growth that is bronzed from cooler (night time?) temperatures. If that is the only symptom, your roses are probably OK. Take a stem showing the most dramatic symptoms to 1)Home Depot or 2)Lowes as they both profess to have "nursery professionals". A reputable local nursery or your local agriculture agent in Ornamental Horticulture would also be able to easily identify this disease. Beware anyone trying to sell you herbicides/bugacides, etc, as the roses will need to be destroyed if in fact they do have WB. Sorry...
Posted by: Linda L in Tennessee | 04/24/2013 at 03:05 PM