In her weekly newsletter, Growing Wonder with Felicia Alvarez: Simple Tips for Thriving Roses, Gardens & Homes, Felicia offers expert advice to help you cultivate stunning roses, vibrant gardens, and welcoming homes. Each edition features a subscriber-submitted question, where Felicia provides thoughtful answers to your rose, garden, and home-related queries. This Q&A was originally featured as a highlighted question from one of our subscribers, published in the newsletter.
Q: "What is the best way to deal with black spot (sprays, fungicides, etc.)? And if there is black spot, should I completely defoliate the rose bush and start over to prevent it from spreading? Do I also need to replace all the mulch or pine straw surrounding the base of the rose bush?"
Submitted by: Ashley from Marietta, Georgia - Zone 8a, Gardener
- Remove infected leaves promptly. Pick them off and dispose of them (don't compost).
- Apply an organic or synthetic fungicide. I personally like rotating between products to prevent resistance. Options include:
- Organic: Neem oil, copper-based sprays or a baking soda solution (1 tsp baking soda + a drop of dish soap in a quart of water).
- Synthetic: Products containing myclobutanil or tebuconazole work well for serious cases.
- Spray regularly. If black spot is active, spray every 7–10 days, especially after rain.
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