Q.Is it safe to plant new rose bushes in the same area that roses had formerly died due to rose canker?
I lost quite a few rose bushes of various types to rose canker. By the time it was diagnosed it was all the way down to the base of the plants & they couldn’t be saved. I am tearing them out but would like to start over. Is the fungus in the soil, and if so, will my new plants be vulnerable?
Thank you for your response MichiganDot! I wasn’t able to find any answers in my research either but your advice makes perfect sense and I will follow it. Thanks again.
It has been several days since you posted your question. I think no one has responded because they just aren't certain of the answer. In researching canker, I found no mention of replanting in the same area. However, I'm hesitant to say it never lingers in the soil. Think of all the pathogens that do persist. I would err on the safe side and treat the soil with a fungicide rated for rose canker. Then I would use it as a preventive maintenance for the first few years as canker is preventable, not treatable as you discovered.
