Rose leaves turning yellow

Question

I was gifted a beautiful Weeks Doris Day rose bush in a 3 gallon container where it remains. It bloomed for about 2 weeks, and near the end of that time the leaves began to turn yellow. Now there are many more, and some have green spots, and possibly ” bites” taken out of them. There are brown spots as well and, of course, the yellow leaves are drying and falling off. I see no new growth on the rose since I cut the last blossoms off.

I have put a lighter color pot around the black nursery one, and made sure I put a nice large drain hole so it won’t get too hot here in San Antonio. It is somewhat sheltered from too much sunlight. I put a Jobe’s rose fertilizer spike into the soil thinking it may need that, but it has gotten worse not better. I have sprayed it with insecticidal soap, and do not overwater.
Can you possibly help please?

Answer 1

If at all possible get her out of the pot and plant her in the ground in a nice sunny location. The Doris Day rosebush is a very hardy rosebush but a bit finicky about her growing conditions. The pots they come in from the nursery are not something they are meant to stay in for long. They need more room to allow the roots to spread out. If she must be left in a pot, I highly recommend one that is at least 20 inches in diameter and 20 to 24 inches deep. The pot must have drainage holes in the bottom as well. The rosebush appears to be trying to show you that she is under stress in her current conditions, thus the move to in ground or larger pot is high priority. Once moved, water her with some water that has both a good root stimulator and a product called Super Thrive mixed into the same watering can. This mix will help get the root system going in the new location as well as help relieve the stress she is under. About two weeks after planting in the new location, give the rosebush a treatment of Bayer Tree and Shrub granules, this both feeds the rosebush and keeps insects away.