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severe cane damage, please help! (with pics)

14 years ago

For the past several days, could actually be a couple of weeks, I have been noticing these "holes" in my canes making an appearance. At first, I didn't pay it much attention, because I decided that it was probably weakened places in the stems and canes from the strong winds that we have been having. But now, I realize that I have made a terrible mistake! This, undeniably, is something much worse!

As much as I can figure out, I'm thinking it might be rose midge damage. And besides whatever this is, I do have rose midge, because the buds are turning black, and have all the obvious signs of the terrible little creature. But I can't seem to find any photos of cane damage from rose midge. That's leading me to think it may be something else, something worse!

I have 81 rose bushes, and almost everyone is affected by this. Some canes have it intermittently up and down the cans, some have it just towards the top. In any case, I need some precise help with this, because I just don't know what to do! And the thought of losing all of my rose bushes just makes me feel devastated!

I have included 5 pics of the cane damage described above. And while I am posting pics, the last two are on a climber that I have, that in my opinion, look like I need to prune out. Only thing is - they are the largest canes, and do have the most of the plants growth on them!

Desperate for help!!!

Shelly

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Comments (4)

michaelg
14 years ago
Definitely NOT rose midge damage.

I agree the bad canes in the last two pics should come out. The bottom one is an old canker that probably developed around the slit and has killed the bark. The silvery look on the other two bad canes-- canes can live with some of that but probably not that much. I'm surprised it's making shoots.

Your "holes"-- I know of two causes for vertical slits in canes. One is the bark just splits because a green cane is expanding so fast. These are clean-looking and usually heal just fine. The other is egg-laying sites by cicada, usually the annual more than the periodic species. These are usually jagged as if made with an old-fashioned can opener. I suppose that's what you have, although they don't look exactly like my cicada damage-- #2 does, but some are too smooth. Canes can survive and bear for a while despite cicada damage. The larvae have already dropped out.

The purple is a canker or Botrytis infection that may have been contained, or may be spreading. Keep an eye.
Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
14 years ago
I know of one other thing that can and does cause slits in the bark, especially new growth: Hail damage. Last year just as all the new canes were growing we had a huge hail storm. Afterwards, it looked like someone had taken a razor blade and slit the canes vertically up and down the entire cane. About Broke my heart as the more vigorous the rose the more new canes were damaged. I didn't get any infection (canker) in the cuts thank goodness, and I agree with Michael that sure looks like what you have there.
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shellys4811
Original Author
14 years ago
I don't know how to say thanks, except you two have absolutely put my heart at peace!

I haven't seen any cicada's around. In fact, I haven't even seen any kind of grasshoppers yet! Whoopee! Don't care for the holes in the leaves too much!

But what we HAVE had is a bad hail storm just a couple of weeks ago! So, it makes perfect sense! Hail = holes! We don't get hail here often, thank goodness!

Anyways, now I feel so much better and I thank you very very much! They may not look so good up close, but at least they aren't diseased with anything as bad as I was fearing!

So Grateful!
Shelly
donnaz5
14 years ago
I got a back ordered rose this spring from a well known own-root vendor. The rose stem had a hole in it and there were signs that it was healing. I had never seen this before, and e-mailed the vendor, with pics. I got a phone call within 10 minutes. The vendor said that they had switched to a new potting mix, and the roses were taking up too much water and splitting, and that this wasn't a long term problem for the rose. The vendor also advised me to plant the rose deeply enough to cover the slit, which is
the exact opposite of my instinct..I would have thought it would be vulnerable to disease buried, but they said no, it would either finish callousing over, or produce roots, and that was what I wanted. There was only one cane, so pruning it wasn't really an option.
My pics aren't exactly like Shelly's, but it was healing when I got it, so maybe her soil holding too much water could be the problem? Just as a side note, I planted it as instructed in mid April and it is thriving. See pics of damage......Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: papa gontier

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