Q.rose care
A gardener suggested I remove all the leaves on a rose bush for the winter months. Now it produces only leaves and no buds. What do I do to correct this? Should I just wait for next season for nature to repair itself?
Removing leaves was standard advice of old when black spot was a constant problem. It is no longer recommended since removal may cause slight tears where it attaches to the cane. This has the potential to let in one of the rose canker diseases. I don't think removing leaves is affecting flowers this year. Use a slow-release/long-acting fertilizer. Liquid fert with lots of nitrogen spurs green growth but this may come at the expense of flowering. Inspect the plant very carefully for mites and aphids, destroyers of buds. Is the plant in full sun or has a nearby tree started to shade it? If you don't find any pests, repost with an up-close picture.
