So sorry to hear this. If you've been clear 6 years, I would also want to look in the upwind areas of your neighborhood to identify where it is coming from. Your Zephy was so beautiful.

Thank you, Shelia. There is no one in our neighborhood that grows roses, except maybe Knockouts, or even gardens very much for that matter, that I know of, but I am going to check around. I believe the woman across the street has a Knockout Rose in her backyard, so I will need to let her know that my roses were infected, since I am upwind of her. There are no wild areas around here that might harbor roses either - it's all forest outside of the village. The roses which were infected several years ago were Nearly Wild (own root from Home Depot, was clean for years before being infected), Distant Drums (from Edmunds, never flourished, maybe the culprit?), and Glamis Castle and Tradescant (from Pickering, grafted on multiflora, also never flourished but they were in a bad location).

I believe my Zephy is grafted on multiflora - she was also from Pickering and I believe that is their rootstock of choice. However, as of 2014 she was clean. It looks to me like the first affected plant was Mojave (bag rose from HD or Lowe's), which is / was about 3 feet from Zephy. I didn't notice it at first because Mojave was already extra thorny and had reddish foliage. I was injured and haven't really been able to garden for two years, so the progression of the virus went unnoticed.

Do you think I should remove Zephy, or try to save her? And if I do not remove her, will I be jeopardizing any new roses that I might introduce? I am removing Mojave (what's left of it anyway), Golden Showers, and Jude The Obscure.

I am pretty sure that I removed all the infected canes, but since I didn't even notice when it started, I'm afraid she might be a goner. I feel so guilty! I should have paid more attention. My poor Zephy!

To start with, You were injured and healing, so you must forgive yourself. You did the best you could. Going forward you might think about how long your afflicted roses were likely infected. If it has been going on for a period that might mean it would be safer to remove and bag up the infected roses, because it would have spread into the rest of the bushes, and dispose of them in the trash. If you noticed it immediately you could try to remove the entire cane and monitor. I don't think there is an effective treatment. It is my understanding that you can replant a week or more after you remove the plants entirely including roots. Clearly this is so hard once you have just gotten back to gardening. Good luck with all this.

I am so sorry to hear you're having to deal with this sad problem just when you're finally able to garden again. I, too, wish you the best of luck! bart

Darn! Too bad! So sorry to read this. In a RRD area it is quite important to keep an eye on the garden. Too bad you didn't have someone who could do that for you. I'm currently keeping an eye on the garden of an older lady around here who had back surgery months ago and I noticed that her garden of 30 or so roses (mainly Hybrid Teas) and other perennials had gone to pot with over grown weeds, etc. I just told her I'd be a "low level care taker" - just to keep an eye on things like RRD to cull once detected until she recovers.

To second what some have already said, in your case it is possible that the disease has spread some, not necessarily to all roses but to even more than has been detected. I would say to just wait till spring and see what the growths do. As far as I know the mites are not active in the winter.

Thank you all for your kind words! I have decided to remove Zephy, Carefree Delight, and Crystal Fairy. This morning, I did a check again. On Carefree Delight, the damage is much more extensive than I previously noticed. Crystal Fairy looks slightly infected, but because the bush has dozens of tiny canes, it would be very hard to just removed the infected one, so she is going as well.

That will leave only Little Mischief, who was sandwiched between Zephy and Crystal Fairy, and Queen Elizabeth, both of which surprisingly show no signs of infection at this point.

I also email our local extension office to let them know, and ask for their recommendations going forward. Figured it can't hurt, and I wanted to make sure that they knew the disease was in our area.

No one around here grows roses other that Knockout varieties. My husband says that he believes our neighbors to the back have Knockouts, so I am going to wander over there and see, and let them know just in case. He saw the canes that I removed, so now he can also keep an eye out when he is mowing and trimming.

I am glad to hear the I can replant in the same area. To be safe, I think I will put one of the rosemary bushes that I was planning in the hole made by Zephy, and put my new Zephy 2 a few feet over. It seems more respectful some how.

I hope they find a treatment for this nasty virus soon. I know that Univ of TN has researchers studying it.

Unfortunately, afaik, plant virii are mostly untreatable. What most research concentrates one is a. on control of host vectors and b. on researching, identifying and developing immune or resistant varieties for future use.

Antique roses forum post by a researcher

Thank you, Patty. I do intend to keep a MUCH closer eye on the garden henceforth. This past summer, I am not sure I got out into the yard at all (due to an injury). I have begun removing the infected plants, and I am adjusting my renovation plans for my front beds.

I like your idea of a daily stroll through the garden to check for problems. Sounds productive and therapeutic at the same time.

See:

http://www.myblueheavenintheburbs.com/2016/01/17/resolutions-and-the-heartbreak-of-rrd/

The OP is apparently pointed to 'see' her own blog.. too funny!

I thought it was a nice blog, though, demonstrating understanding of the problem and resiliency which we all seem to need. I know we all wish her the best dealing with this. Cute cat too.

I'm just very divided on this issue... after losing 4 roses to RRD this year, I decided to quit buying new roses. Then a local well experienced rosarian discouraged me from doing that by pointing out that since I am practically in my garden daily during the growing season (I have a huge food garden as well in the same yard) that I can just keep an eye on things and cut off infected canes quickly. Yes, sometimes you will cut off canes that look infected but aren't actually infected, but why take the chance?

I've also hit the road looking for infected roses around me, dug out over 25 roses last year (all double knock outs) in my immediate neighborhood. Surprisingly it has been very easy to convince homeowners to remove their roses, I always volunteer to do it because if I don't they will take their time or never do it. I intend to keep going to other subdivisions even further away from my home to get rid of infected roses.

So I'm taking the chance that my actions will be effective and taking the risk, spending more money, time, effort and love on new roses for this spring. Hopefully I stay optimistic. I'm particularly concerned about climbing roses - I have 20 or so, all babies, still patiently waiting for them to hit their strides and hoping RRD does not wipe them out before that happens.

Thank you Henry for your compliments!

How far can the mites that carry RRD travel? I know that there is farmland maybe three miles from my home where wild roses might be, though the winds are not generally from that direction. I have informed my one neighbor who I know has a Knockout rose to keep an eye out for symptoms. I am hoping that my infection is the source, and that by removing almost all my roses, it will end there.

It all depends on how far the wind can blow them. They don't fly by themselves as they are wingless, but the wind readily blows them around.

The eriophyid mite can blow in the wind until they hit something that knocks them down or the wind stops blowing. The eriophyid mite however did not start the rrd problem. They only pick up the rrd virus when they feed on an infected rose. RRD has been around for a very long time. Things basically got out of control when university scientist's used RRD/RRV in an attempt too eliminate out of control wild multiflora. Without studying the possible outcomes of their actions (we humans are slow learners). The virus spread like wildfire by the mites that we now know are capable of harboring RRD. The eriophyid mite has allways feed on roses and they them selves cause little damage.

In the last few years most likely due to tenacious gardeners who have refused to accept the fact that they might have to give up the worlds most beautiful flower. We are learning this is not a death sentence. All plants can get viruses. No matter what you love to grow watch them. Learn what they should look like and look up unusual symptoms that appear.

Two years ago I lost all of my ligularias too a virus because I failed too notice a nearby infected tomato plant. Then failed too react to my gut instinct that told be this was serious. Leaf mottling and tissue collapse I should not have waited a second too react and remove. It cost me all of them.

I'm sorry to be so long winded. Yet this were too help anyone who loves to garden too save their plants. I would be the happiest gardener in the world.

Thank you, Patty. Our climate is more mid-western here so there is ALWAYS wind. I generally comes from the same direction that I am planning my rose beds. At this point, I feel that I have educated myself better, and I have learned the consequences of indifferent care and procrastination the hard way. Now much choice is, do I want to grow roses or not? I think for me the answer is yes. I went many years without the virus, and I am ripping out all my roses with even a hint of symptoms.

With that in mind, how long to I need to wait until it is safe to replant? I removed a rose yesterday and tried to get all the roots, but we have Bermuda grass in this area, so there are hundreds of roots underground going every which way. It's very hard to tell if I got all the roots or not.

Oh, and if I use the "cardboard box" method that is sometimes suggested to deal with rose replant, would that somewhat safeguard against infection of the new rose? I left the hole from the old rose open last night, since it went down to 10 degrees here - I thought it might kill anything in the soil (mites, lingering roots, etc.).

It is all about the roots... if you got the biggest roots out you can replant immediately. in my opinion. Before the new plants roots can get the chance to do a "root graft" with any old left over pieces of roots that are infected, those old roots will be dead so root graft won't occur. The virus will die with the old roots.

That is a relief to know! The bush that I took out yesterday and one other one that I am taking out are prime real estate.

When I remove my dear Zeffy, I am not going to replant in the same hole. I do plan to replace Zeffy and take the opportunity to shift the position so that the new plant will be easier to train onto the trellis. I have a better idea about the growth habit now, so I can adjust accordingly. I will probably plant a rosemary plant where the current one is located.

You mentioned Bermuda grass. I hope that you have not been using a weed killer around your rose beds.

https://sites.google.com/site/roserosettevirus/

No, I never user weed killer. The weeds can't survive because of the dang Bermuda grass! I have, in the past, used grass killer around the base of roses in another area of the yard. In makes the grass easier to pull out. In planning my new beds, I am excluding annuals and perennials for that very reason - so I can spray grass killer around the base of the roses occasionally.

Our neighbors don't use weed killer either. They at most mow and occasionally trim hedges.

Henry brings up an excellent point since we have not seen photos of your roses. There is herbicide damage that can resemble rrd. Now that you mention not having rrd and the garden is now infested with it. We need a picture until then hold off removing any more roses.

Sorry quiltkitty I posted the same time you did. Good to hear we have not been steering you wrong.

Above posters are correct rrd does not persist in the soil. I have never been able to remove all of my old roots. In my case I just try to get as many as possible (like the thicker ends) that were attached to the crown. I haven't had a problem yet with replanting. It might be advisable thou to wait perhaps a month. This would give the virus time to die in the old root system.

I am very relieve to hear that RRD won't survive in the soil for long. I will be ripping roses out this month, and probably not replanting until late Feb or March at the earliest. In most of the areas, I will not be replanting, but there are two spot in what will be my new "rose" bed that I simply can't avoid at least planting near, if I plan to plant this year.

The rose that I removed this weekend is in a location that I will be doing some serious remediation on anyway, due to the Bermuda grass infiltration.

One more question - both Zeffy and Crystal Fairy are coming out. Little Mischief, sandwiched between them, appears unaffected so far. What are your thoughts about planting new roses near Little Mischief? I don't want to be reactionary, but I don't want to endanger new plantings. I really don't know how she escaped.

My sympathies as I have also lost favorite roses to this horrible disease. This weekend I was at the District Conference for the ARS and there was much talk about RRD and other pests and diseases. The term we loved was 'be a tall shadow in your garden' meaning be a presence there to look over everything. We all get busy, lazy, sick, hurt and can't be out there all the time. But when we can we need to be aware of what it looks like normally so we know when something is not right. I was able to save one bush by noticing some weird growth at the tip of a cane, which I cut out. 3 years later, and so far no more signs of RRD on that bush. This fall I found some suspicious growth on another rose, so I cut out that cane. Time will tell.

If Little Mischief looks ok, then you can plant next to it. I would think all of the mites are dead or dormant at this time of year. But watch Little Mischief very carefully when it comes out of dormancy in the spring. That is when RRD can show up.

Thank you Buford. I will be keeping a sharp eye on both her and Queen Elizabeth, also amazingly unscathed.

Little Mischief is planted in honor of my kitty (she's still around, I just love her THAT much), who is a little mischief. She hides when trouble is brewing, and it looks like her rose might have done the same thing. They are much alike - small, beautiful to look at, tiny sharp thorns!