The Leaves On My Rose Bushes Are Turning Yellow And…
Loretta Asked
The leaves on my rose bushes are turning yellow and falling off. I recently moved and had to transplant them. Please help, I love my roses.
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi, Loretta: There are several reasons why the foliage on roses can turn yellow. In your case, it certainly will have something to do with transplanting them and the new environment they are living in. Did you have your soil tested when you moved? If not, I would recommend doing this so you know your soil pH and nutrient levels. There is always a certain amount of stress involved when moving plants. They should be treated like a new addition for the first year after we transplant them. Planting them in new soil may have caused the yellowing to occur. If the pH is unbalanced or if the nutrients are not available, this can certainly be a reason for a decline in health. If it is just a few leaves here and there I would suspect this is more a result of being transplanted, but if the entire plant has the same symptoms then there is something else going on. Yellow foliage can also be a result of too much water and/or lack of drainage. If their new home does not drain well this can make your roses very unhappy. Another possibility is root damage. If the roots were damaged when they were initially dug up, this can be the cause for yellow foliage as well as leaf drop. One last thought: have you sprayed your roses with any chemicals? If so and the yellowing occurred within days of being sprayed, this is also a possibility. Make sure to clean up all foliage that has dropped and keep the space clean of other fallen plant debris. If you have not had your soil tested, contact your County Cooperative Extension service and they will give you detailed information on how to have this done. There is a small fee but the results are well worth knowing, especially since this is a new garden for you. You can also take a sample of your roses to them and see if they can narrow down the problem before your results come back. Make sure your roses are receiving plenty of direct sunlight and good air circulation.
