Subject: Re: Organic treatment for black spot on roses?
From: "Bill Robinson" <roseguy@flash.net>
Organization:
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 98 00:34:03
Message-ID: <MOD$981023.8313@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
The Godfatha said:
>But as any serious rose grower who has tried it will >tell you, trying to
grow roses without fiungicides is >like playing the lottery - a very few
winners and a lot >of losers.
I am the Volunteer Co-Ordinator for the Victorian Rose Garden at the Los
Angeles County Arboretum
I designed the garden, supervised the installation of the garden, and have
been supervising the maintenance of the garden for the last six years. In
that time, we have never used any fungicide and we have used nothing but
cultural practices to prevent and/or control plant disease. For the most
part, the cultural practices that we have employed are: 1.) careful plant
selection, 2.) a willingness to get rid of roses that have chronic problems
with disease, and 3.) basic good gardening.
The garden is not totally disease free but it is as clean or cleaner than
most of the puiblic or private rose gardens in our area.
The proper use of synthetic fungicides will do a
credible job of preventing disease. The proper use of
lime-sulfur will also do a credible job in correcting an established
infection BUT one can garden without the use of fungicides or other
pesticides and still have a succesfull garden. I know this from my
experience.
I don't claim to be the good citizen relative to the environment. The reason
I don't use fungicides or other pesticides at home or at the Arboretum
is that I believe I can grow a better garden with an intact ecosystem. The
use of synthetic pesticides is
just too destructive of the garden environment.
Bill
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