Old Parks Gardeners have known for many years that to replace a bed of Roses in the same place is asking for problems. New plants become sickly before they get a chance to become established and you can loose a lot of time and money trying to put new roses in the place of old.

How is Rose Sickness Caused

• No one seems certain why roses get sick if they are planted where old roses used to be. One possible cause is nematodes that the old roses have learnt to tolerate.
• I believe it is more likely to be fungal growth around the roots.
• Root exudates contain allelochemicals and when concentration becomes very high, after the roses have been in the soil for several years, they adversely effect new plants.
• Roses are gross feeders and soil which becomes impoverished will highlight other plant weaknesses.

Common Cures and Treatments for Rose Sickness

• If you are replanting roses exchange the soil with fresh soil that hasn’t grown roses before. An area 2′ square and deep will be needed so it might be easier to relocate the bed for new plants.
• It may help to grow and dig-in a crop of Tagettes or french marigolds if the soil is generally in good health. I would also add lots of manure and   humus for roses.
• Another method for small numbers of Roses is to sink an old carboard box filled with fresh soil and plant in that. By the time the cardboard degrades, the rose sickness should have gone or the Rose be strong enough to resist problems.
• The only product against rose sickness is Rootgrow, a beneficial mycorrhizae, fungus which adheres to the new Rose roots. It should allow the plant access to moisture and nutrients from a wider area of soil thereby increasing the early vigour.

Try Just Joey when planting new roses