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Category: Problems, pests and diseases

Why are my roses losing it's leaves?
Why are my roses losing their leaves? (and how to help it recover)

Why are my roses losing their leaves? (and how to help it recover)

If your roses are losing their leaves, it’s due to one or more conditions that are causing them stress. This could come from the environment they’re in, from the weather, from pests and diseases or from how you’re caring for the plants. On the other hand, roses losing their leaves could be part of their natural life cycle. For most people, if you have black spots on the leaves, then turn yellow before falling; it’s likely a disease such as…

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Why are my roses drooping and wilting
Why are my roses drooping and wilting? (and how to save it)

Why are my roses drooping and wilting? (and how to save it)

Your roses are probably drooping due to watering problems. Most people know that not watering roses enough will lead to them dropping, especially if you grow roses in pots. Potted plants have limited soil to retain moisture, and roses can quickly outgrow pots. Even roses grown in the ground may need watering occasionally, especially during periods of drought or even very hot weather, and newly planted roses need consistent regular watering until established. Many gardeners don’t realise that too much…

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Why are my rose leaves curling and how to resolve it
Why are the leaves on my roses curling?

Why are the leaves on my roses curling?

The leaves on your roses are curling, most probably due to a pest or disease, with the most likely reason being a pest called Rose sawfly, which I discuss further down in more detail. However, it could be powdery mildew which is easy to identify by the white fine coating, which you usually notice first. Another possible reason, especially if you grow roses in pots which I talked about here. It might be as simple as you’re under-watering your plant….

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Rose pests and diseases to watch out for
Identify and Treat Rose pests and diseases

Identify and Treat Rose pests and diseases

Unfortunately, roses are vulnerable to quite a few pests and diseases, and when I think about all the plants I’ve grown over the years, they’re the only plant where I try to prevent diseases in the first place. I’ve had the most success spraying roses with fungicides early on in the season to help prevent diseases like rust, blackspot and mildew. Prevention is much better than trying to treat a disease once it sets in. The good news is that…

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Flowers on rose turning brown
Why are my rose blooms turning brown before they open?

Why are my rose blooms turning brown before they open?

It’s disheartening when your roses are turning brown before they open, I know the feeling as it happened to me on many occasions over the years. They’ve grown fully so why don’t they just bloom in full colour? The answer is probably a fungal disease called botrytis blight or a disorder called flower balling. Read on to learn what to do about these problems. Flower balling (rose balling) What is flower balling? Flower balling is a disorder that’s caused by…

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Growing and caring for Pyracantha
Growing and caring for Pyracantha (firethorn)

Growing and caring for Pyracantha (firethorn)

Pyracantha is also known as firethorn for its brilliant flame-coloured berries. It’s a hardy shrub that’s easy to grow and look after, and it’s actually one of my favourite shrubs. You can use it as a stand-alone shrub, as a hedge or train it to grow up a wall or trellis. I cover all of this here and tell you how about caring for pyracantha in most gardens. About pyracantha Pyracantha is a shrub with prickly leaves that grows to…

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Why is my pyracantha dying?

Why is my pyracantha dying?

Don’t write off your pyracantha plant just yet. What seems to be a dying pyracantha can often be saved. Here are the most common problems with pyracantha and how to deal with them. Pyracantha leaves falling off This is such a common problem that I wrote a whole article about it and how to deal with it. Please read Why is my pyracantha losing its leaves for great information. Problems with pyracantha flowers and berries The problems here could range…

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Why is my pyracantha not flowering or producing berries
Why is my pyracantha not flowering or producing berries?

Why is my pyracantha not flowering or producing berries?

Your pyracantha not flowering may be due to natural causes, something in the garden environment or something that you did. A similar problem is that a pyracantha is flowering but is not producing berries. I deal with both issues in this guide, identifying common causes and detailing what to do about them to promote flowers and then berries. Your pyracantha not flowering could be as simple as the ground being too dry when flowers are developing. Or a late frost…

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Pyracantha pests and diseases
Pyracantha Troubleshooting: Pests & Diseases

Pyracantha Troubleshooting: Pests & Diseases

Although pyracantha is a hardy plant, several pests and diseases can be a real problem for pyracantha. The two more serious diseases that attack pyracantha (also known as firethorn) are Pyracantha fireblight and pyracantha scab. More on these further down. When it comes to pests, you have the usual aphids that are easy to control and mainly attack new lush foliage in spring. However, woolly aphids and pyracantha leaf-mining moth are two insects that prey on pyracantha and can do…

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Why is my palm tree dying?

Why is my palm tree dying?

In these kinds of articles, I usually say not to worry, your plant probably isn’t dying, it’s just sick and needs a little care and attention and a little love. But in the case of a palm tree, it may actually be on the verge of death. Here’s how to tell if your palm tree really is on the way out or whether it just needs some treatment and care. The first step to saving a dying palm tree is…

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