Smoothie Land

Blackspot (Diplocarpon rosae) is a bad fungus your roses can get. It starts off as a small blackspot, turning the leaf part around it yellow, and can eventually spread to the entire plant.  You can catch it as soon as it starts to keep it from spreading by cutting off the infected parts of the plants and disposing of them by burning them, do not let them fall to the ground.  The fungus will work its way back onto the plant.  You can prevent it by treating it with a fungicidal soap and liquid sulphur, both of which you can find at your local nursery. (Always follow the instructions on the label.)  You can use a home remedy that works well: in one quart of water, add a few drops of dish soap and then about a teaspoon and a half of baking soda and spray your roses with it. Be sure to reapply whatever treatment you choose after every rain. Also, water your plants first thing in the morning to give the leaves a chance to dry. The roses having wet leaves will help it spread. If you do not have roses but want to get some, there are a wide variety of disease-resistent roses. Just visit your local nursery and they will be happy to help you out. You can tell them Miss Crystal sent you. It won’t do you any good, but you can tell them that anyway.

 Happy Gardening,

Miss Crystal

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