will roundup kill rose bushes

Understanding Roundup’s Impact on Rose Bushes A Gardener’s Guide

As a passionate rose gardener, I know how heartbreaking it is to see your beloved roses get hurt. Unfortunately, the popular herbicide Roundup can do a lot of damage to our rose bushes if it is not used correctly. In this article, I’ll talk about how I learned to protect my roses from Roundup damage.

Roundup contains the active ingredient glyphosate, which is non-selective This means it indiscriminately kills any plant it contacts, including prized roses Even tiny amounts of drift or residue can injure or kill roses. I learned this the hard way when my gardener sprayed Roundup to control weeds. Despite assurances it was safe, I later noticed distorted buds and yellow, curled foliage on my roses. A fellow gardener identified it as Roundup damage. My heart sank realizing the herbicide had drifted onto the roses, nearly killing some bushes.

Glyphosate is taken in by the leaves and then sent to the roots, which is how Roundup hurts roses. This disrupts nutrient uptake, eventually starving the plant. Before the bush dies, it shows signs like scorched leaves and slow growth. Rose varieties stressed by drought or pests are most vulnerable. But if they are exposed long enough, even mature, healthy bushes can die or be hurt in the long term.

While Roundup is very effective on weeds, I no longer use it in my garden. The risks are too great for the surrounding plants, especially my beloved roses. However, I know some gardeners do choose to carefully use Roundup around roses. So here are some tips to minimize dangers if you decide to go this route:

• Spray roses with this on days when it is very calm and still. Even light winds can blow droplets onto contact-sensitive roses.

• Cover roses with something that won’t let water through, like plastic sheeting, while you spray nearby areas. This forms a physical barrier.

• Wear protective clothing to avoid residue on clothes that could then transfer to roses.

• Use a shield attachment on your spray wand to precisely target only weeds, not roses. Avoid any overspray.

• Wash rose foliage thoroughly after application to remove any accidental residue before it can be absorbed.

• Water the soil well around roses to dilute any Roundup that lands on the ground. This minimizes root uptake.

Even with great caution, Roundup accidents can still happen. So I encourage exploring alternative weed control methods that are safer for your roses and other garden plants. Here are some effective options:

• Manual removal by hand pulling, hoeing or digging. More labor intensive but avoids chemicals.

• Spreading mulch or landscape fabric to smother weeds.

• Spot spraying horticultural vinegar, a natural herbicide that provides contact weed control.

• Applying corn gluten-based pre-emergent weed preventers in spring and fall. These inhibit seed germination without harming established plants.

• Cultivating healthy soil and using roses’ competitive nature to choke out weeds. Good conditions discourage weeds from establishing in the first place.

While it takes more effort upfront, I’ve found integrating several of these organic methods keeps weeds under control without Roundup’s risks. The tradeoff is worthwhile knowing my roses remain protected. Occasional spot treatment with targeted natural herbicides like horticultural vinegar provides extra help when needed.

If you already have an unwanted rose bush, don’t reach for Roundup. I strongly advise against using it as a removal method due to dangers to other plants. Instead, here are some safer DIY removal techniques:

• For smaller bushes, manually dig up the entire root ball. This is labor intensive but avoids chemicals.

• Apply a brush killer product containing triclopyr instead of glyphosate. Though still synthetic, triclopyr is lower risk and won’t spread through soil.

• Cut large roses repeatedly to ground level. Persistent cutting starves the roots until the bush dies.

• For big mature plants, rent a ripper attachment on a skid steer to mechanically extract root balls.

Always wear gloves and protective clothing when handling roses to avoid painful scratches. Bag up debris and discard at your local green waste facility so any residual chemical residue doesn’t impact compost.

To summarize, Roundup and roses don’t mix in my experience. While not impossible to use Roundup cautiously around roses, why risk it? There are many safer and more holistic alternatives for weed control. Avoiding Roundup altogether is the best way to safeguard your roses’ health and beauty for years to come. Let your roses thrive free of unwanted chemicals!