Fungal diseases and insect pests

Common fungal diseases of roses are black spot and powdery mildew, both caused by microscopic fungi. It is important to take preventive action to control these diseases because serious attacks are difficult to get rid of. This is a good reason for choosing disease-resistant cultivars in the first place.

Roses attract many different types of insects. Get rid of such pests as soon as you spot them, because they breed quickly and sometimes spread disease. Often good pruning to keep the plant well aerated and picking the insects off manually is enough to get rid of them. Sometimes, plant-based repellents and non-toxic insecticides such as soap or oil are sufficient.