Cleaning Up The Fall Debris & Dormant Spray For Disease Control
Question:
Is it too late to clean up the Fall debris or should just wait and do it in the spring?
Answer:
The fallen leaves and other debris should be removed from the base or under the canopy of trees and shrubs along with being cleared off turf and ground cover areas. From my personal experience, it’s easier to stay on top of the debris as it’s occurring then to wait. Dry and wet leaves are easier to clean up than those that have matted down. Instead of raking the matted leaves up, they’ll have to be scraped off the ground, and that’s not fun at all. With grass, it’s a critical issue. The debris that is left from each winter storm forms a solid layer that prevents sunlight from reaching the blades of grass. These areas turn yellow and eventually die as the plants are not able to manufacture food in their leaves known as Photosynthesis. This means you’ll have to reseed the bare spots in the spring. With herbaceous and woody ornamental ground covers, Stem, and Crown Rot, along with Water Mold Fungus and other diseases could develop when left covered for an extended period of time. It’s one of the few times that a leaf blower becomes handy. So, my recommendation is to clean up the debris often.
Question:
My gardener wants to prune my roses early. Is that okay or should I wait? Also, should I spray an anti-disease agent onto the bare branches? Will this help hinder the Black Spot next year?
Answer:
There is no problem pruning your roses today. After pruning, the bushes are sprayed with a Copper Fungicide or Horticultural Oil. Before spraying, you should strip off all the remaining leaves along with cleaning up all the debris under and around the bushes. They could be sprayed right after pruning or you could wait until next year. It’s a judgment call on your part. One application is all that’s necessary. Rose Rust, Mildew, and Black Spot will over winter on rose canes and the old leaves. Good sanitation practices are important; however, they will not prevent the diseases from reoccurring next year when the right conditions are present. Rust, Mildew, and Black Spot are airborne diseases that require moisture and temperature to be a problem. It's critical that the foliage remains dry after the sun goes down. Rose Rust requires only two to four hours of constant moisture for the infection to begin. With Black Spot, it's seven hours; hence, Rust will always appear before Black Spot. In addition, it will be weeks before the diseases show up after each infection. A wet spring from an extended rainy season accelerates the problem. Your best control is Bayer Advanced All In One Rose Care. It’s a liquid or granular product that’s applied to the roots in March and controls all three diseases, plus fertilizes the bushes and controls the Aphids and other insects. One application last six weeks.
