It's not a disease but a cultural problem, probably waterlogging. You might want to raise the bed 6".

Hmm--I can't tell if there are any fungal-looking spots, doesn't look like it. A nutrient deficiency, perhaps nitrogen due to the excessive rain or cool soil temps? Iron deficiency is green veins, yellow tissue, and yours doesn't seem to be like that. I almost thought "rose mosaic virus" because of the yellow pattern, but it's too diffuse and not quite angular enough, and the lower leaves being affected make me think nitrogen. Hope you get a definitive answer.

What you probably have is the result of lots of rain and very good drainage which has washed away nutrients.

henryinct & others~

If indeed this is not a certian disease as you say.....then what approach should I take to help the situation....(other than raising the bed 6" which is not something I can do at this time)...
Thanks for all your help.
Pam

If Henry is correct, you would fertilize. However, this does not look like any particular nutrient deficiency. Rain-washing of nutrients can lead to nitrogen deficiency, which appears as an overall light green throughout the plant.

Lower leaves with yellow veins are identified as oxygen deficiency (waterlogging) in the Compendium of Rose Diseases, 1st ed., plate 72. I had this symptom on a couple of roses during a month of continuous rain. Also the green was paler than normal and the leaves were somewhat limp; eventually they fell off.

There is no immediate solution other than transplanting, which might do more damage than the waterlogging. Very probably the plants will survive. Long term, you need either to raise the bed (4" might be enough) or install a French drain with an outlet downhill.

Thanks Michaelg, for the great info......I will try to follow your directions in the near future..... :-D

I've had a number of potted roses get the same exact leaves, usually the lower, older ones. We have gotten a lot of rain over the past week. They are in clay pots, in good organic, well draining potting soil. The pots have both a small amount of manure compost in them as well as Mills Magic Mix, and have been drying out just fine in between storms. They are very robust and blooming well.

At first I was in a panic thinking virus. However, they don't have the typical virus look, and it has appeared on the virus indexed ones also.

I think it is just a reaction to lots of heavy rain. As soon as I get enough time without fear of a lightening strike, I am going to give them some Mills liquid fertilizer.

Sandy

I treated a "Borderor' rose that had yellow foliage that showed an iron deficiency with 'Sluggo" a slug killer that is made from iron. I soaked c. 2 Tbls of Sluggo, in warm water for 10 min, and then scratched it in. I also fed it with 10-10-10.

The new foliage is growing in a normal green hue.

Lux.

I think an iron or other nutrient problem would show up in the majority of the leaves, not just some lower leaves. In my case, my roses still have healthy green foliage. It's just some lower leaves that have gotten that "look" to them. We got over 7 inches of rain in one day, and that is a little too much water all at once, even with excellent drainage. After a situation like heavy rain, it doesn't hurt to give the roses a little liquid fertilizer.

Rose leaves can yellow and fall off from both lack of water, and too much water.

Sandy

Iron deficiency shows first on the new leaves, and the veins are green with paler between veins. In other words it's the opposite symptom to what we are talking about.

Garden Lady. Here in New England we have such good drainage that there is no amount of rain that could cause waterlogging and I believe having lived in Illinois that your soil is similar. How is your drainage under normal conditions? And how long could this rose have actually stood in water? I seriously doubt that it is waterlogging.

Guys, I'm in Central Illinois also; we've had record amounts of rainfall this year. From March through today, we've had 20+ inches so far. One area last week recorded 7" in one day. That's alot of nutrients leaching out of the soil if it's not replaced.

There's been strings of days when it has rained every single day. The farmers haven't even been able to get the crops in yet, it's that wet. Maybe I should be growing rice.

-terry

With our clay soil we have seen lots of yellow leaves from too much water, but usually just around the edges, if I recall correctly. My latest project has been to raise up the soil around the roses and get water to flow away from the roses. This is actually opposite of the advice that works for people with sandy soil--but I'm more concerned about what works in my garden.

Dig a hole 12" deep between the roses, if the soil is saturated at that level, water will seep into the bottom of the hole. There may be a sewagey odor.

From March through today, we've had 20+ inches so far.

That's 2 years worth here! Sigh.

There may be a sewagey odor.

indicating lack of oxygen...