I'm having trouble reading the image. Has the growth tip (apical meristem) died (on how many stems?) and a cluster of weak stems started growing out below that?

Severe nutrient deficiencies can cause this, as well as perhaps herbicide. It looks somewhat like zinc deficiency. This could happen in highly abnormal soils or soilless media, or maybe the pH is too high. What kind of soil is it growing in? I hope that is not a limestone gravel mulch.

Excessive phosphate as from "bloom buster" fertilizer can cause zinc deficiency.

Hello,

There has been no weedkiller used. Nothing is dead on the plant. There is just a bunch of growth. The leaves are green but definitely smaller than normal. The soil is alkaline and semi-desert like. Love Song was originally growing in a big pot 22" that had MG potting mix. When Love Song was planted, the entire pot of MG potting mix went into the planting hole, along with compost and soil sulfur.

Rosi

I thought the brown spot near the middle of the top picture might represent a growth tip that died, and stunted new shoots had grown out around it. That and leaves cupped upward would suggest zinc deficiency, as would the grayish tone of foliage in the top picture (but not the others). But if it is in mostly MG potting soil, and you haven't added a ton of phosphate, probably not. So I'm stuck.

I'd suggest looking at rose spring dwarf disease, except it is not supposed to be active in hot weather.

Hi,

I just went out to the garage. The rose hole had the MG potting mix, compost ( home depot kellogg 2 in 1 planting mix and mulch), soil sulfur, super phosphate, and there was something else ( cottonseed meal or blood meal).

Rosi

Rosi -- Where are you located????

Just a tip for the future, if you have the sandy loam typical of the Central Valley, that is nearly ideal soil as it is, maybe needing just some sulfur for a pH adjustment, and a shovelful of manure. It would be better not to backfill with bagged mixes, although bagged mixes would not likely cause your problem.

If you added cups of phosphate to the hole, I would go back to my original suspicion about zinc--that is, if you are seeing what I described (the tip stopped growing and stunted shoots came out around it).

You may need to consult a soil/plant testing service. Since it happened after transplanting, it seems like soil chemistry may the the cause.

I'd really like to see a clear photo of that area. These photos really aren't clear enough for diagnosis. And I'd like to know where Rosi is located.

Hello,

Sorry, I had to correct my account information (zone/area). I moved in February from Tulare

(Central Valley) to Victorville, CA ( high desert).

Michael. So you think the issue could be nutrient related? I can check the yellow pages for a company to have soil testing.

Rosi

Maybe if you could post some more pictures, someone will have other suggestions. Can you show the pattern of stem growth? And is the bad growth all new growth that has come after transplanting?

Hi,

new pics.

Rosi

The bad growth has come after transplanting. The temps have been in the 90s

Rosi

That looks like heat stress to me. When the rose doesn't get adequate water in high heat here, the new leaves form like that. Somewhat stiff and small and curled inward. I would keep it well watered and be sure the water is soaking in and not running off the sides. I like to make 10in holes around my newly planted rose bushes with a bamboo rod (or something similar), just to be sure the water reaches the roots as sometimes it's hard to get the water to go exactly where you want it.