@GardeningTeenager

I think it will help. I also have lots of Multiflora in my property Tho I haven’t seen any infection on those yet. I would first cut the multiflora down and then spray them with round up. I know they spread quickly and are actually pretty difficult to eradicate. If you aren’t dealing with too many hundreds of them it should work, otherwise it will be a big job. Cutting them down first will really help make the round up job easier and safer so you arent spraying it all over. Please wear protective clothing and remove them promtly as well as shower after every round up use. Better to be extra safe around those products.

There's hundreds of them....

they are all over the place right now. Honestly at this point, I think it would just be best to let the multiflora catch it and die. They are already dying. The ones that have it have it really bad. If I just let it go, if mine get it in a few years I can just replace them. I really don't know. There's no way i can get all the multiflora.

Where do you live, Gardeningteenager? I have a little differnt take on how to deal with it. For one thing, some studies have shown that there are a lot more mites that spread RRD on plants that are infected with RRD. So cutting them down first seems to me likely to result in the mites letting go of their perch and deciding to move on down wind. So I would do something about the mites first. I don't know that I'd recommend that you do it personally, but maybe someone could spray the plants with a miticide first. Then you'd have to deal with bagging up a lot of poisoned plant branches. But still, I'd worry about not doing something about the mites first. Some have recommended hairspray as a way to immobilize the mites, or maybe kill them. I have used it myself once.

I have another question about whether Roundup is more effective sprayed over a larger surface area than a smaller one, as far as whether it kills the roots better. I have some alstroemeria I've been trying to get rid of and I read advice that said to let them grow before spraying so more of the leaves would absorb the Roundup.

Not all miticides work on the RRD mite. I think Avid is one that works. I hate being exposed to any of those chemicals or using them around any good bugs or creatures. Maybe hairspray is a compromise. But even so I'd wear a respirator. Nothing like finding out too late you messed up your lungs.

Another idea. is that horitultural oil in a heavy solution can suffocate and immobilize a bunch of mites. You could use that in a pump sprayer and it would probably be quicker to use than hairspray in cans. A heavy dose of horticultural oil might harm the plants too which of course would be good. In winter, a dormant oil spray in the proper strength can help to cut down on mites, bug eggs, and bs spores. Not a bad idea in RRD country.

One time I sprayed hoticultural oil wearing a bandana over my nose and my lungs were irritated for a few days. So again, a respirator is a good idea.

Thinking it over, I think I'd spray first with Roundup and after it dries follow pretty quickly with horticultural oil. It's probably a lot less toxic than miticide. I'd want the Roundup to get in the leaves unimpeded by the oil. Roundup to kill the plant, oil to take care of the mites. Anne of TN might have better suggestions. Have you read her e book about RRD? I think she is one that originally thought up hairspray. I have forgotten her last name.

Good luck with it. Also I would not panic.

Sorry to suggest one thing at first and then change my mind but I was thinking out loud.

I used to have RRD all around me, and they were on Knock outs in other folks yards and every shopping center, so not much I could do about it. And the church had RRD. The library had RRD. The dentist had RRD. The school had RRD. McDonalds had RRD. So did Burger King and Wendys. You get the picture.

It’s not possible to eliminate the source as an individual. So just be vigilant, get rid of a plant if you see it infected, most likely the other plants will be OK. Early detection and swift action is the key. A miticide like FORBID 4F or insecticide Bifenthrin helps significantly too if you are willing to go that route.

Erasmus I agree that cutting them down first may mobilize some of the mites. The problem with spraying hundred of multiflora is that if they are anything like here they are climbing up trees that are 20 feet tall. The logistics of spraying so many plants that tall in place seem like something on an industrial level.maybe the plants in question arent as large. In my property I also would not bag them I would make them into a pile in a safe area and burn them immediately. Again it all depends on what kind of property we are talking about, mine is in the middle of a very rural area where these actions would not cause any issues. I do not know if this is even possible where gardening teenager is.

also BenT has a point you cant Control all the other variables so maybe just save yourself the work and just be very vigilant with your plants.

BenT I go crazy Crazy every time I see what you mentioned. My local jacks, Burger King and several other places have many infected knockouts and I have tried contacting someone, anyone about it with no luck. They place all these knockout and just leave them unatended. It is a big shame.

Gardening teenager, are you positive it's RRD? Sometimes new growth can throw me off a bit. I have been so nervous about RRD that I have taken out a plant that looking back later I realize probably didnt actually have it. I would triple check to make sure that's what it is before doing anything major. And probably you have already. Do you have pics to show the forum?

I'm so sorry to read that RRD is in your area, @GardeningTeenager.

This disease seems so nasty and I can only keep my fingers crossed it doesn't make it over to Europe, although I guess it's just a matter of time.

My only suggestion would be to plant your roses far apart with other plants in between them and avoid creating beds of roses. Scatter roses amidst other plants in various areas of your garden. That way if one does get sick, it will have less chances of infecting the others.

Ben ha ha

Oh, so I can just remove the virused ones and they might not all have it?! 100 percent sure it’s rose rosette. It’s twisted rose growth and I can see the plants that have had it for a very long time. They are burnt from the cold.

It sounds like a bigger problem than I pictured.

Later-stage RRD can result in that burnt look you attribute to the cold, GT.

Removing only what you term ”the virused ones”, presumably based on appearance, will miss any which are infected but not yet symptomatic.

Earlier, you posted this:

GardeningTeenagerOriginal Author

“15 hours ago

There's hundreds of them....

they are all over the place right now. Honestly at this point, I think it would just be best to let the multiflora catch it and die.”

Given your proximity to them, I think it’s wise you’ve now abandoned the Dr. Atlas approach. One would be better off drawing inspiration from Dr. Katz, Behavioral Therapist.

Someone here needs to provide GT with a way to directly contact Ann from TN.

It’s just so terrible. I didn’t even know they were there

I just found this thread which has a detailed discussion of RRD resisistant rose varieties.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1572525/rrd-resistant-rose-species

Perhaps these might be interesting to you, it might be worth trying some of these?

Here's where you can find Ann Peck's ebook:

https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/files/6287.pdf

My "removing invasive plants" class said this about eliminating multiflora rose:

"Cut stump, paint on Rodeo at 25% concentration immediately. Or foliar spray in fall with Rodeo at 3% concentration."

If you manage to eliminate the multiflora rose that's there you then have to maintain the area to make sure it doesn't come back. It's a huge job. If you do go that route I wouldn't worry about controlling the mites the process--the job is already big enough without further complicating matters.

Have you thought instead about the prevailing winds? The mites are wingless and just float in the breeze. If the infected roses are downwind of you it's a lot less of a problem. If they are upwind, you could plant a windbreak (thick evergreen trees or shrubs) or build a privacy fence to block the wind from reaching your rose garden.

Ok!! I can totally plant some arborvitae

Is this it?

I read that something like 80% of the mites on an infected plant are found on the "broom" canes. So if I couldn't remove an entire plant for some reason, I would try to remove and destroy the worst affected parts of it. It will never cure the plant, but at least there would be fewer mites to parachute onto another plant.

Also, I read that the virus really does reduce cold tolerance. So many infected plants die over the winter, and it's not always obvious that virus contributed to the death.

I agree, Steve. Doing SOMETHING about the mites seems better than giving up if you can't get rid of the whole thing. The mites are the main means of transmission and inconvenient or not they are a central part of the problem.

GT, to me that is not enough growth to tell . A lot of healthy new growth is red.

Do not dispair! I have dealt with this exact problem. I have woods 100 yards from my house and beds and it had hundreds of mulitflora more than half of which were infected.

It is important to figure out wind patterns. If you garden area is upwind then that is best case and I wouldn't give a second thought to the mites.

First I talked to the land owner and got permission. Then I got out there with lopers and a jar of a pretty strong dillution of round up and a foam paint brush (you will need extra.) If you have a helper it can go really quickly. One of you lops and the other paints the fresh cut with round up to kill the roots. You need to apply the round up within a few minutes of the cut. I left the bushes where they landed and did not worry about mites. The mites are a temporary problem--focus on the long term and creating a better enviroment for roses in the future.

Painting round up on the freshly painted stumps on invasive exotics is a tried and true method to kill them. We also do it with Japanesse honeysuckle and privet. Not having to deal with spray/aerosol and worry about breathing it is a big advantage.

I have had exactly two cases of RRD since (knockwood.) I found both when only a single cane was infected and cut that cane back all the way to the base of the plant. One plant never had it again and the other had it show back up the next year and had to be removed.

The reality is that being in a rural-ish area I have infected multiflora all around me even though I got rid of the closest threat. Just make sure you take a look at your roses on a regular basis and be ready to spring to action if you see a problem. Sometimes you have to accept a little risk--but it's still worth it.

"Also, I read that the virus really does reduce cold tolerance. So many infected plants die over the winter, and it's not always obvious that virus contributed to the death."

Mulitflora are like roaches and deer--they will be around after the nuclear attack. Here in z6b/7a it seems to takes years for them to succumb and finally die.

No teen, those are normal new shoots which are often red.

@GardeningTeenager that particular photo looks totally normal to me.

Agree with everyone else, those leaves are normal

"Mulitflora are like roaches and deer--they will be around after the nuclear attack. Here in z6b/7a it seems to takes years for them to succumb and finally die."

Yeah, I guess you might see an effect more quickly on a less-hardy rose like a HT that was borderline for the zone anyway.

@GardeningTeenager It sounds to me like you could take a multi-pronged approach:

1. Determine wind patterns and plant a wind break of arborvitae if necessary; and

2. Wade in there and cut-and-paint the multiflora with roundup; and

3. Be vigilant for RRD on your roses

At least you're not alone in this? I hope that's a comfort at least.

I used to have about 100' of MF on my property border. Some had RRD. I removed and killed it. it's a lot of work, but if you want roses, you should do it. Mine was on the edge of a forest, so it grew in one direction toward the sun. I was able to go behind it and locate the main stumps and chain saw it off. I just left it there to die. I covered the stumps with black plastic trash bags weighed down with rocks and eventually they died. Didn't want to deal with chemicals.

I wouldn't worry about the mites right now. Focus on getting rid of the host and just hope they don't make it to your roses. I think I lost 2 rose bushes from RRD. it doesn't seem to spread far quickly. And if you catch it early and cut off the weird growth, it usually saves the rose.