Hi Tui, I have Black Spot on my roses and then the leaves go yellow. I have just brought them this year, how can I get rid of it please.

Hi Margaret, Black Spot is a fungal disease that roses are susceptible to. Controlling the disease is to understand the lifecycle of it. Black Spot lands on the leaf of the plant and if conditions are ideal, usually wet weather in spring, will start multiplying. The leaf then drops on to the soil, the spores survive in the soil and when conditions are ideal, are spread on to the leaf surface by rain splash or watering. The lifecycle starts again. Black Spot can overwinter in buds when the plant is dormant over winter. Protectant sprays such as a copper based spray and plant spraying oil are effective as clean up sprays through winter and into early spring, but also clearing away infected leaf litter from around the roses and disposing of by burning or throwing in the rubbish and not composting will help prevent the spread. Pick off infected leaves as you see them, not always practical but it does help prevent the spread. Mulch around the roses to help conserve soil moisture and keep them well fed and actively growing, apply seaweed plant tonic directly to the soil or as a foliar spray, this strengthens the cell wall of the plant and helps it withstand pest and diseases. Water and feed regularly, every 3-4 months with a balanced rose fertiliser such as Tui Rose food. The Tui Team.