Q.Rose Bushes No Leaves
Have two rose bushes that have very few, if any, leaves. These are established bushes. Have fertilized them with rose feed and have used Epson salts on them hoping to correct them. Please help. So far I see a little change but don’t feel that the problem is solved. One is a hybrid tea yellow, which I love, and the other a red climber that I see tons of around our area that do well. Please help me.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Rosebushes will at times drop all of their leaves if there has been a heat wave or conditions such as that where the roots are actually under stress. It is a method they use to protect themselves. It could be that the root zone has gotten too hot. If you do not mulch your roses I would recommend adding a nice layer of mulch around them. Also if the roses get a bad case of the black spot fungus they will totally defoliate as well. If you did not notice alot of black spots on the leaves then it would point more towards the root zone of the roses being under some sort of stress. The over use of some of the all in one or systemic products on the market can cause the rosebushes to defoliate as well. Again due to the stress it has caused to the root zone. Adding some kelp meal and alfalfa meal to the soils around such roses, along with some compost will help with the systemics problems eventually. It takes some time to get such situations corrected.
