Wow this is my first post . Well I have a climbing rose bush that started out beautiful and then became infected with a fungus. The leaves all started to drop . Well I knew that it was important to pick up the leaves to prevent the soil from being contaminated. While I was doing this I found these slimy things on the base of the plant. My guess is they are slugs. They were small white slimy round things. Is this a slug? What do slugs actually do . I have no leaves on most of my plant except for the top and just a few roses. What do I do now . Thanks for your advice in advance
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just wanted to say HI but altho they sound like slugs to me I have nary a rose in my garden so cant give u any advice...but many more on here can...
Oh, dear, sounds like you have 2 problems. The black spots on the leaves are from black spot, a fungus disease. Usually this comes because of wet conditions locally, but it can also be ggravated by ater on the leaves, when you are watering. Always water at the base of the plant. And you can treat the plant with benomyl, captan or one of the other fungal preparations specified for this -- to spary on the leaves, where the fungus is. And destroy the leaves as you have been doing; do not compost them.
Your other chappies sound like sawfly larvae; they are white with a brown or tan head. You should see chewed leaves, as well as the larvae. For these, you need to spray with rotenone, carbaryl or methoxychlor as soon as they appear.
As for next year, it is all a new start! Take good care of the roses - the healthier they are, the less likely they are to succumb to diseases- fertilize regularly with a good rose food (many of us on this forum use Miracle Grow products and they do work well), water enough (roses are thirsty little devils) and keep an eye out for the insect pests so they can be dealt with right away.
If you are buying new roses, keep your eyes peeled for cultivars that are resistant to black spot and mildew. Certain types, like hybrid teas, are more susceptible.
Then, sit back and enjoy your beautiful roses!!