I. Causes and Signs of Weakened Roses**
- **Causes:** Various factors contribute to rose weakening, such as diseases, root disturbance, heat shock, weather conditions, nutrient deficiency, etc.
- **Signs:** When roses are weakened due to different reasons, they exhibit distinct symptoms. Observable signs include abnormal leaf appearance and coloration (black spots, yellowing, wilting), blackening of young shoots, prolonged absence of new leaves, and stunted growth.
**II. Actions to Avoid When Roses are Weakened**
Both the leaf system and the root system are crucial factors determining a plant's stability and growth. To ensure the plant's survival: If roots are weak, the leaves must be healthy, and vice versa. These two components support each other in the plant's development. When both leaves and roots are weak, it's the most critical phase for the plant. Here are some actions to refrain from during this vulnerable period:
1. **Removing Leaves:**
- A plant has a self-protection mechanism, and if leaves are still on the branches, it means they are functional for the plant's growth. Aging leaves will turn dark green and eventually yellow, and they will naturally fall off. If the plant is unable to sustain the leaves for some reason, they will drop on their own.
- If the plant is diseased, efforts should focus on treating the leaves rather than arbitrarily removing them. Removing leaves without considering the underlying issues not only deprives the plant of nutrient synthesis capabilities but also stimulates the growth of numerous new shoots. With limited energy, the plant can't nourish these new shoots, leading to further weakness. When a plant is struggling, try to keep as many leaves on the plant as possible, including the deaf buds or leaves affected by pests.
2. **Pruning Branches and Leaves:**
- Pruning causes the plant to lose a significant amount of reserved nutrients. Additionally, weakened plants have a diminished ability to naturally heal pruning wounds. If the plant cannot self-heal the cuts and unfavorable conditions persist, open wounds can become susceptible to bacterial attacks, resulting in blackening of stems and branches.
3. **Fertilizing:**
- Never fertilize weakened roses, especially with nitrogen-rich and nutrient-rich fertilizers like NPK, manure, soybean meal, banana solution, fish fertilizer, etc. Fertilizing stimulates growth, and when this growth is not in proportion to the plant's health, the plant has to channel all remaining nutrients to produce shoots, making it more vulnerable and potentially leading to death.
Just like us, plants go through times of vulnerability, sickness, and difficulty. In those moments, with enough love, patience, and knowledge to understand what the rose truly needs, Pemdas Garden believes that sooner or later, you will find: "Taking care of roses is not as challenging as you think."
Wishing you all healthy and fragrant rose gardens.
#PemdasGardenTips #RoseCare #GardenWisdom #PlantHealth #RoseGardening #GardeningAdvice