Roses are a popular addition to any garden due to their beauty, but gardeners should also be aware of a fungal disease which can cause them to never flower again. 

Black spot disease is more likely to develop in roses during warm, humid and rainy weather in late spring or summer, with the signs of infection being circular dark spots and yellowing leaves on affected plants. 

If left untreated, black spot disease will leave roses incredibly weak making them much more susceptible to pests and other diseases, which can easily spread to other nearby plants. 

It will also eventually cause the leaves of roses to fall off and impact a rose bush’s ability to bloom, stopping the plant from being able to produce any flowers at all and eventually killing it. 

However, black spot disease is “really not a big deal” as long as you treat your roses quickly by pruning them according to Alexis, a gardener, chemist and founder of Chemistry Cachet.

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How to get rid of black spot disease 

Alexis said that she recently experienced black spot disease on her climbing roses, and after “much research and experimenting” has shared her best tips to get rid of black spot diseases on roses to “keep your plants healthy and pretty!”

Black spot disease can spread through fungal spores in water or infected plant debris, which is why it is essential to clean up any diseased foliage as soon as possible.

Alexis explained: “With gardening gloves, I removed every trace of black-spotted leaves on my roses. Just leaving the infected leaf on the ground near your plant can cause it to continue spreading.

“Sadly, one of the bushes looked pretty sparse after that! But catching it early will prevent the fungus from spreading. Remember to dispose of the leaves AWAY from the roses.”

Make sure to dispose of any infected plant material properly in a waste bin, and do not put any of it in your compost bin.

If you use gardening gloves or secateurs make sure to give them a good clean before using them on your plant again. Do not leave any debris on the ground or you will risk infecting more of your garden.

After all the infected foliage is gone, try to keep the plant leaves and stem as dry as possible. Alexis said: “One of the things I’ve always done and had reiterated again in my horticulture class was to never water your roses from overhead, just the roots. 

“So, especially with this black spotting, make sure the leaves stay dry. Protect them from further rain too!” 

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How to prevent black spot disease 

Your rose plants will have a good chance of becoming healthy again if you spot the infected quickly, but you can also prevent black spot disease by using a fungicidal spray on your roses. 

Alexis said: “Sprays WILL NOT treat the current infection 100 percent, but they make a great preventative! As a chemist, I always use a product that is organic, so it will not be harmful to other plants, wildlife, etc.”

She added: “After removing all the infected leaves, I sprayed with the fungicide spray, and I am already getting new growth!

“Prevention is key for combating black spots on roses! And it is so simple too!”