Now promise not to shoot the messenger.

RIP IT OUT! BAG IT AND PUT IT IN THE GARBAGE!

My friend, you have contracted Rose Rosette Disease.

Rose Rosette Disease is thought to be a viral disease that primarily infects Rosa multiflora but has the ability to infect any rose.  The exact virus has not been isolated and no laboratory test exists for diagnosing the disease. It is a lethal infection that will kill any plant it infects over time. The virus is transmitted by the eriophyid mite which travels via wind currents. Diagnosis of the disease is currently limited to the physical manifestations of the disease.  This includes rapid elongation of new shoots, clustering of new shoots (known as a witches broom), pliability of new shoots that fails to harden, excessive thorniness, purplish red color that fails to turn green, and distorted flowers.   Currently, no known cure for the disease exists.   The recommended course of action is to immediately remove infected bushes.  To prevent the disease from spreading, nearby roses can be treated with an insecticide labeled for control of the eriophyid mite in hopes of preventing the mite from vectoring the disease. When removing infected plants, remember to bag the infected plant material and place it into the garbage.  Do not put it at the curb with normal yard waste or compost it. Also remember to wash and disinfect your tools after working with infected plant tissue.

Over the course of my normal work I unfortunately ran across this disease twice last summer in Virginia Beach.  And in both cases the infected plants were Knock-out Roses. Here are some photos of infected plants that I discovered.   One case was on 69th street at the Oceanfront and the other case was off of Potters Road. Click on the photos to see them full size.

Notice the purplish red color, excessive shoots and distorted flower.

A witches broom.

Notice the excessive thorniness just under the flowers.

For more information and more pictures consult the same resource that I used in this writing:  VT Cooperative Extension Publication 450-620.  It can be found here.

After every valve was installed the whole system to this point was glued together to prevent leaks.  We then covered the pipe in the trench.  To run the water throughout the beds PVC is placed where you want water and then tied into the valve.  We made sure to not glue these portions on top so that they can be easily rearranged as plants move from season to season.

Then we simply drilled 3/16″ holes near the plants needing water.  The last step was to connect the water and test!

It took some time to find the right water pressure to get the system to drip and not spray.  At first with only about 40 holes the pressure is very high and the water shot out 5 feet.  We turned down the house faucet until the pressure was just right.  Then, as we drill more holes during spring planting more water will be needed and all we need to do is adjust the valve to allow more water in.

Next project:  Dig our own well for our irrigation system!

So how do I know if my lawn is getting enough water in the first place?  Some tell tale signs of a water stressed lawn are purplish blades and “tracks” after you walk on or mow the turf.  If you walk on the grass and the blades do not pop right back up they more than likely do not have enough turgor pressure.  You can also notice if the soil begins to recede from the sidewalks forming a large dry crack.

Now, let’s review some of the basics of proper watering techniques.

First, try to always water in the early morning.  Watering in the morning means that less water will evaporate before it percolates into the soil and that the grass blades will not remain wet for long periods of time (which promotes fungus).

Water longer, less frequently.  Watering everyday for a few minutes may actually cause you more headaches than you bargained for.  Watering for short periods of time only dampens the first inch or two of the soil causing the turf to develop a shallow root system.  Shallow roots equal decreased nutrient and mineral absorption and decreased drought tolerance.  There is no magic number of minutes to water for to achieve a deep penetration.  This will vary based on your soil type and sprinkler.  The only way to determine how long you should water for is trial and error.  Run the water for 15 minutes and then probe the soil.  If it is only wet in the upper two inches then you need to water longer.  Water for another 5 minutes and then check again.  Repeat until the soil is moist a good 4 to 6 inches down (moist not drenched, we don’t want to make it muddy).

You will also need to check to see the volume of water that you are applying.  Often times sprinkler heads become misaligned or out of adjustment and can begin to water unevenly.  To test this take several empty cans and place them around the lawn.  Run your sprinklers for the amount of time determined in the above step and then check the cans.  They should all have an equal amount of water in them!  If they do not then you many need to adjust your watering system.  This will also tell you how many inches of water you are applying during your sprinkler cycle.  Simply check the depth of the water in the can.  Make sure that you will have a least one inch of water applied per week.

After you have fine tuned your watering to provide an even coverage, adequate volume and proper penetration remember that more isn’t always better.  Excessive watering can lead to excessive blade growth, requiring extra fertilization and more frequent mowing.  Excessive watering will also cause increased runoff of fertilizer, draining it straight into the Chesapeake Bay.  Be responsible.  Excessive water also leads to increased fungal diseases, such as brown patch.

Proper watering is one of the most essential keys to that perfect lawn.  If you take the time to do it right it will make all of the other tasks that much easier.  You will reduce your fertilizer needs, prevent excessive blade growth, keep your water bill low, and help keep our waterways clean.  And that green lawn will make all of your neighbors ask you how you did it!

Any questions or comments? Let us know!

Eric Sherwood

eric@noshortcutslawncare.com

(757) 696-0249