Provide space for air: When planting roses, be mindful to give enough space for the plants to ‘breathe’. When planted in close proximity, moisture will form between the rose bushes and eventually cause a fungal infection. Good air circulation through adequate space alleviates this risk and keeps the foliage dry.

Stripping all the leaves off our roses and clearing the ground underneath if they get either of these diseases prevents the spores from infesting the new growth.” If you make sure your roses are given a balanced diet, it goes a long way to ensuring they thrive.” Giving more of a summer prune will encourage a larger amount of young vigorous growth which will be more resistant.”

It will also help to optimise plant health by conserving soil moisture, providing slow release organic matter and helping to prevent compaction from footfall.”

Perhaps the most common phrase you hear while speaking to a botanist regarding plant health is “prevention works better than cure”. Amidst the vibrant colour of roses, the foliage will turn into a mixture of yellow and light green with dark patches on the upper surface of the leaf. With such a wide array of choices, it can be difficult to choose the right fungicidal spraying solution.Taking care of leaf litter and pruning the yellow ones from the canes reduce the risk of spreading the disease. You could spray your plants with a fungicide, but prevention is better than cure, so cleanliness is important. Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience. / Meets Our Editorial Guidelines Spraying sulphur may sound like poisoning your rose bush but in fact, it works like a charm to treat fungus diseases and prevent future occurrences.