This is what they look like. I took it after dark for maximum creepiness.

Hi kitty, I would trim that growth off, I don't think it will produce any blooms. I get herbicide damage sometimes, unfortunately I only have myself to blame :(. The rose should recover.

Kitty, is RRD an issue in California? I would cut it out, and cut out some more for safety sake, but it does not look like RRD or herbicide damage.

Sammy

That does look more like herbicide damage than RRD to me. Cut off all the damaged canes and water, water, water. You want to flush the soil out. I wouldn't feed them right away but give them some time to rest and regroup. It can take a long time for herbicides to be removed from the soil and plant so you may get more of this weird growth in the future.

My bosses roses look very similar to this (they LOVE Round Up) I watched the roses last year to see how they handled the spraying, I noted a few canes are looking similar this year (but probably from new applications of RU)

The weeds were very tall. I think they sprayed the whole fence and my roses got some overspray or heavy fumes.

I wanted to check with all of you in case it might be some deficiency I could correct but the rest of the bush in three cases looks normal. Only the growth near the fence is distorted.

Very important NOT to feed them, as seil said. Water them a lot - you need to try to flush the poison out of their system. I would also spray them with water. Of course, also cut off the damaged parts.

Jackie

This has been more work than I expected. I was out looking again and thought maybe they are trying to kill off the ficus repens that the previous owner planted and came over to my side. I don't mind it and cut it short. It's a nice green background and takes the shade cast by the roses. But if they are going to spray at every bit that peeks over the top then I'm in trouble. So I spent all yesterday cutting the thick woody parts back from the top of the wall and out from the crannies. It's going to be a bear keeping it trimmed after the roses grow up but maybe they will let me go over to their side to do it.

You need to talk to them. I had a good heart to heart with my neighbor about his spraying. His wife is very sensitive to poison ivy so he decided to just spray regularly for it whether it's there or not. Since he's never careful about it and doesn't care if it's windy it blows into my yard and on to my roses. We talked and now he knows to notify me when he's going to spray so I can cover the roses to protect them from the over spray. I don't approve of his willy nilly spraying but at least my roses are OK. Talk to your new neighbors and let them know what the spray did to your roses. If you can take one of the canes and show them the damage.

Seil, I had a friend who is allergic to poison ivy, and was hospitalilzed for a long time. It is a terrible allergy.

Isn't it true that the poison ivy roots also carry the poison? It seems to me that he should pull out all he can, then just spray from a squirt bottle when he is near you roses.

Of course, I don't know how accommodating your neighbor would be --- or my neighbor, for that matter.

I don't know why anyone would spray Round Up very high off the ground.

Not that I recommend it around roses, but if you'e in a bind Round Up now comes in a spray foam that greatly reduces the drift problem on to plants it's not intended for. You can also see it on your target plant so it helps in judging the quantity you're spraying and improves your aim.

They are an older couple from Hong Kong and speak Mandarin with very limited English. The son visits sometimes and speaks both Mandarin and English. I never see them outside. They drive into the garage and never use the front door. I don't hear their voices outside. Sometimes he will spray for ( spiders? ) under the eaves and at the base of the wall with a premixed spray like what is sold at the big box stores. I never see his wife unless driving by in her car. They have a yard service crew come to mow and blow and maybe they are spraying. All I can think of to do is try to keep the vine away and out of sight so they won't spray. But if the weeds grow up again, I don't know what I can do. :(

Kitty -- you got a problem.

In SoCal, folks, RRD is unlikely. Yes. I'd cut off that growth, and water like a madwoman. But if this happens repeatedly, those roses will be history.

But -- here's the deal -- they can't just do that. They are damaging your property. They must stop. You need an interpreter, I guess. They need to understand that they cannot destroy your property.

Jeri

Yes, poison ivy roots are full of the poison. You better be d*mn careful if you start pulling them up, though - or you may need a trip to the hospital yourself.

Roundup - especially the kind made specifically for poison ivy - will kill down to the roots. It's probably the safest way to go about it.

I agree with the others about talking to the neighbors, if you can. Spraying roundup is no different than spraying paint. If it had color, no one would question your rights in protecting your property.

I'd be talking to their yard crew, too, and find out if they're spraying anything.

As Jeri said, they are destroying your property. Any drift must stay on THEIR property. Obviously not the way to start the conversation! I'm going to have one this spring with the neighbor's mow and blow. They killed some beautiful gourds I had growing last year. (Didn't have any roses then).
As everyone said, water is the key. The poison is systemic and it travels from the foliage to the roots.
Best of luck.
Susan

Floridarose is right talk to the gardners they hopefully speek english. They may have done it. Tell them what is going on and that it has become a problem. They are getting paid for their service and if so that doesn't mean killing your plants too.
The last place I lived the gardners would come and use a leaf blower and blow everything into my yard from the neighbors through the fence. Had to say something to those guys and it stopped.

For PI, I've had a lot of luck with taking undiluted RU and putting it on a cut stem. Spraying isn't really that effective for PI and other woody vines, IMO. Of course if you DRENCH it in spray, maybe. But who wants to do that. Except these neighbors.

Kitty,

What about sending them a letter letting them know that their use of herbicide has damaged your expensive and rare roses and is endangering your health.

Ask them to screen your property from airflow from their use of the products (aka put up a plastic fence to protect your side)

And check with your city, there are rules about the use of chemicals in some cities/counties and they maybe fined for the overspray.

I know if I had my gardener spray for weeds on the sidewalk, we can get fined $250.

Kippy, why would you be fined for spraying weeds on the sidewalk?

I hand-pull them myself, but I was just wondering.

Kate

I don't want to make them mad or want to put up something tall that will block all the sun off to that row of roses. It's a touchy thing. I saw that they are starting to put down pavers over the bare soil so maybe that will be an end to the weeds. I'll try to catch the gardeners if I can and see what they know. I don't know why people who never go outside would bother with paving the bare ground they never use. Perhaps they see it as untidy.

Kate,

I guess some one passed a county rule around here, but I personally can spray RU, if my gardener does (and does not have a current pesticide use permit/license/class) it is a $250 fine for the first offence. In the city gas powered leaf blowers are also off limits.

I read a paper for a foo foo small town north of here, seems homeowners using hedge clippers on the weekend is also a big no-no and will have your neighbors calling the police on you. (makes their blotter reports several times each weekend)

In parts of New York State (and I think the City of New York) Roundup may not be used. A wise law, I think. I wish we had it.

Jeri