Today in the spotlight: Black Spot Disease

"Diplocarpon rosae" Black Spot Disease



These photos, of my once beautiful white rose bush, tell the story of what prompted some research!



What you see is the result of "Diplocarpon rosae" commonly known as "Black Spot Disease".
It is a serious fungal disease common in humid climates. It starts on the leaves, spreading across, and eventually killing them. A serious case of bad spot can leave your rose bush completely bare of leaves. It is advised that whenever you see a case of black spot you promptly remove and destroy any infected leaves. (I wish I had researched this sooner!) Also, remove any leaves from the ground that have already fallen. It is important to REMOVE all affected leaves as Black Spot is spread from leaf to leaf by water. So, the next good rain will likely cause the development of more of the fungus.

The safest (non-chemical) way to prevent Black Spot is to combine 1 Tablespoon baking soda, a few drops of dishwashing liquid detergent, & 1 gallon of water. Mix thoroughly and spray both sides of the leaves once a week.

For more information on Black Spot Disease in the state of Indiana go to:
http://www.ppdl.org/dd/id/rose_black_spot.html

Today's backyard photos

I love the novelty of black and white photos. However, I am so thankful God chose to paint our world with color.

More Roses in Bloom

Two more rose bushes that began opening this week!

You can have your rose and eat it too!

I love growing roses! I currently have 5 rose bushes. I love them for their beautiful form, their various colors, their long blooming time, and their delightful fragrance. However, now I have a new reason to love them... I can eat them too!


I was reading a fellow gardening blog and it mentioned roses being edible. I had never even thought of that possibility! I can't wait to pick some more spinach and lettuce in the next few days and sprinkle some fresh rose petals on top! How pretty would that be? I did taste some yesterday and today. I found what the following links say to be true - different colored roses do indeed taste different. So far my Jackson & Perkins Cinnamon Twist Roses have the best flavor! LOL
My young daughters were taken aback to see me eating a flower! However, my oldest daughter, who can be finicky, admitted they weren't too bad! So, if this is news to you, as it was to me, check out the following links. They give simple directions on preparing petals for eating, recipes for using petals and for using the rose hips. It turns out not only are roses beautiful they are healthy too!

http://www.springvalleyroses.com/inthegarden/roserecipes.html

http://www.asimplerway.com/archives/000206.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2297120_eat-rose-petals.html

First Rose Blooms of June

My rose bushes are flourishing! The rose bush above has probably close to 50 buds on it!!

The first bloom of the summer for my Jackson & Perkins Cinnamon Twist Rose bush.
One of my favorites!