Anti-Transpirants

It's interesting what we can learn from the experiences of other gardeners. Some of our best home remedies have been passed from one gardener to the next and we often find that a single product can have many surprising uses.

Let me give you an example. Anti-transpirants are chemicals that the nursery industry uses to help retain moisture in the foliage of plants. You see water is naturally lost through special pores in the leaves of plants and this process is called transpiration. Several years ago a commercial rose grower told me that they were using anti-transpirants such as the brand name Cloud Cover to control blackspot on roses. It's a nontoxic acrylic polymer that is biodegradable.

You see the chemical puts a thin coating on the foliage of the plant. This keeps the fungus from being able to pierce the leaf and cause the damage.

One application can last for several months but as new foliage emerges and matures it should be sprayed to keep the leaves from becoming susceptible to the fungus and of course it is important to spray both sides of the leaves thoroughly.

Also, I think it is wise to experiment on just a few plants first before applying any treatment to all the beautiful roses in your garden.

Blackspot is such a problem for so many rose growers. It's helpful to have anti-transpirants as another line of defense. Cutting down on blackspot infestations in your garden is one of the best ways to enjoy more productive and vigorous roses.

From the garden, I'm Allen Smith.

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