The dry weather has cause a lot of problems with moldew. (I should have said mildew but that is a Freudian slip I will leave in.) The worst affected in my garden is an early flowering clematis but this rose stem is not far behind.

It was draping over a wall in the centre of Oxford with two immaculate flowers on an adjacent branch. Humid and still air plus lack of rain are to blame.

Avoid & Treat Mildew

• Select roses that have been bred to be mildew resistant.
• Roses get stressed particularly through lack of water. Mulch after a good rain and keep the mulch topped up
• Spray badly affected plants with Rose Clear 3 to try stop spores spreading.
• Limit nitrogen fertiliser which encourages sappy growth  that  is prone to attack.