Is this blackspot?

Hi all,
First post so bear with me!

I have a climbing rose which is being devestated by this disease. Could someone please have a look and let me know if it is blackspot, or possibly something viral? They are more like squiggles than spots, althought there are some leaves with 'normal' blackspot. The leaves drop off prematurely, with the older stems being more affected.

I have googled extensively but not found anything similar.


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many thanks, Claire

 

Hi Claire
Welcome to GC - I'm sure you will find lots of help and advice here.

Take a look at this link, I think it may help you http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/pests-diseases-rose-20297.html

 

"They are more like squiggles than spots"

I agree. Black spot on my roses is definitely "spots". The leaves pretty quickly turn yellow after the black spot becomes noticeable.

Sorry, no help, but I think spraying with a proprietary rose treatment would be advisable. I spray mine every 2 weeks during the growing season. "Rose Clear" I think it is called.

 

The best way to control black spot is to start to spray roses early in spring when the leaves are starting to form - nip it in the bud! The early sprays make a big difference. Some roses are much more prone to the disease than others. You'll reduce the incidence and carry over from one year to the next if you remove infected leaves from the bush and clear any fallen leaves. As Kristen has suggested Rose Clear is a pretty good defence and it also zapps the little green sap suckers.

 

thanks all,
Kate, I did have a look at this thread but couldnt see anything similar and I didnt want to spray until I had identified what it was. It is going to be quite a job to spray as it grows up over a pergola and is quite high so I didnt want to spray unless I thought it was going to work.

Would a generic rose spray be effective if it were a virus? Also, the rose has lost rather a lot of leaves now, do you think a spray would help at this late stage?

I have a 2 year old 'generous gardener' nearby which has a little blackspot but nothing as sinister as this so I dont want it to spread. The pergola is over a border of shrubs and perennials so it is very difficult to pick up fallen leaves.

kind regards, Claire

 

"... and then again every 3 weeks"

FWIW I spray every 2 week (well, I ear-mark the 1st and 15th of the month, and try to do it round-about-then, as an aide-memoire

 

Thankyou wiseowl, for going to so much trouble.
The rose was already well established when I moved in 5 years ago, and was planted by the previous owner who owned the house for 7 years, so I would estimate it is between 10-12 years old.

I dont know the variety for sure but am almost certain it is a Mme alfred carriere. The main stem is 2-2.5 inches diameter.

The picture of blackspot on the RHS site looks a lot more like my sample so, sadly, I think I have some spraying to do. I dont really like using sprays. The rose was home to a family of bluetits this year. it was lovely to see them bobbing round, and the baby ones lined up waiting for a beakful of aphids!

thanks again, Claire