Hey guys.
This is my first post to the forum, and I am a fairly new gardener to begin with.
I have always had gardens, but generally it was just, buy a nice plant, and plant it where it looks good, if one dies replace it with something else.
I have recently decided that I love a lot of the plants that I have bought over the years, and I really want to start taking better care of them.
2 years ago, I bought a rose bush (of some sort, I can't really remember what type it is).
It has never bloomed. In fact, the first year, (shortly after planting it), I noticed a white slimy looking substance on the stem about an inch and a half under the bud.
Everything ubove this "slime", begins to die, but everything below it stays fine.
The first year, I cut down below the white slime (after noticing the dead upper stem and bud)...
Last year, I simply tried watching the bush and whiping the slime off every time I noticed it.
This year, it's back.... The rose is the only plant that I saw this on, however, I recently aquired a fairly young mint plant, which also is starting to get this stuff on it. However, the mint is actually in a container, even though they remain outside.
I can't tell you what type of rose the bush is, but, it is a pretty small one. I have a miniature rose bush as well, and the victimised bush looks nothing like it, so, I am going to assume that it's not a miniature.
Perhaps it's supposed to grow into a full sized bush, but all this trauma is keeping it back?
I don't know. I can wait until the next time I see the "slime" and take a picture of it so that you can see, but, if there is anyone who thinks they know what my issue is and is willing to help me figure out what to do, I would greatly appreciate it.
However, I only have one ground rule. No unnatural chemical solutions.
I really am trying to be organic with everything that I do.
EDIT::::
Actually, I noticed this stuff again today, while I was weeding the garden. It is actually on a weed too, close to where that rose is that I am talking about.
I also noticed a sort of white bug that appeared to be eating the rose. Perhaps that white slime is a larva stage of the bug forming?
I couldn't snap a photo of the bug, but, here is a photo of the weed with the "slime" on it. it almost seems webish or cacoonish, but, it has a high gloss like a slime.
[img]https://www.an8search.com/garden/slime.jpg[/img]
Thanks in advance
Sage
Looks like woolly aphids. They are actually aphids infected with a fungus and will have the same detrimental affect on your rose as normal aphids. They should be inside all the cottony stuff so I am not sure what the bug was that you saw but it could be a predator. Have a look in the wool and see if you can see tiny insects. If I am right this will be a problem every year and I normally collect spiders or find ladybirds or their larvae and put them on the plant with aphids on. You can also try washing them off with a hosepipe on high pressure setting. Shouldn't damage the rose.
Jess,
you are totally a gem.
I have heard about attracting lady bugs to help with this problem, and am working on finding a plant that I like that will do so, in the meantime, I will try to hose them off for now.
funy thing is, we have plenty of spiders around here. I guess they don't want those aphids... LOL..
now that this problem has been identified, at least I can look more thuroughly at what I can do for the problem.
Thanks so much
Sage
you are totally a gem.
I have heard about attracting lady bugs to help with this problem, and am working on finding a plant that I like that will do so, in the meantime, I will try to hose them off for now.
funy thing is, we have plenty of spiders around here. I guess they don't want those aphids... LOL..
now that this problem has been identified, at least I can look more thuroughly at what I can do for the problem.
Thanks so much
Sage
Jess,
OMG, thanks to your wonderful help, I started spraying them off every time I see them, and now only 2 days later, I am starting to see the rose trying to open up. It's the only surviving bloom after the other 3 or 4 of them withered up.
This is fantastic. I really want to attract some of the aphid's natural preditors to the scene, but, I will deffinately keep spraying them off until I can.
BTW... it's hard to keep up with. I had to spray them off 2 times already in the last 2 days. But, I feel it's well worth the battle.
I was always affraid that the water preasure would hurt the plant all together, but, now I see that it hasn't done any damage.
And I am noticing these aphids in other parts of the garden, now that I am on my knees weeding. I have been keeping the hose at the ready now. I don't have very many overly delicate flowers in my garden, so, spraying seems to be ok for most of them. I wish I could remember what all of my plants are called so that I can tell you, but, since it's a fairly small garden, I will try to take a photo when I am done weeding, trimming and pruning, and see if anyone wants to take a guess at what all I have. LOL.
Thanks again. FANTASTIC advice.
Sage
OMG, thanks to your wonderful help, I started spraying them off every time I see them, and now only 2 days later, I am starting to see the rose trying to open up. It's the only surviving bloom after the other 3 or 4 of them withered up.
This is fantastic. I really want to attract some of the aphid's natural preditors to the scene, but, I will deffinately keep spraying them off until I can.
BTW... it's hard to keep up with. I had to spray them off 2 times already in the last 2 days. But, I feel it's well worth the battle.
I was always affraid that the water preasure would hurt the plant all together, but, now I see that it hasn't done any damage.
And I am noticing these aphids in other parts of the garden, now that I am on my knees weeding. I have been keeping the hose at the ready now. I don't have very many overly delicate flowers in my garden, so, spraying seems to be ok for most of them. I wish I could remember what all of my plants are called so that I can tell you, but, since it's a fairly small garden, I will try to take a photo when I am done weeding, trimming and pruning, and see if anyone wants to take a guess at what all I have. LOL.
Thanks again. FANTASTIC advice.
Sage
Hi Sage 
If you have a major infestation you can always use Derris dust. It is organic but will only work in dry weather and needs reapplying whenever it rains. Might give you a fighting chance while you are trying to sort everything else out. Only problem is it doesn't look very pretty. It looks like you have covered everything in talcum powder so use it to give your plants a chance and then encourage your predators when there aren't so many aphids to deal with.
If you have a major infestation you can always use Derris dust. It is organic but will only work in dry weather and needs reapplying whenever it rains. Might give you a fighting chance while you are trying to sort everything else out. Only problem is it doesn't look very pretty. It looks like you have covered everything in talcum powder so use it to give your plants a chance and then encourage your predators when there aren't so many aphids to deal with.
thanks again for the info Jess,
you just keep giving out great advice.
here is a picture of the rose in question... now, only a few days after recieving (and putting into practice), your advice, it is beautiful.
Next year, I hope to catch them all blooming.
I was assured by a friend of mine that this rose is considered an antique rose. I am not sure, since I do not know very much about roses to begin with.
Here's a pic.
[img]https://www.an8search.com/garden/antiquerose.jpg[/img]
Sage
you just keep giving out great advice.
here is a picture of the rose in question... now, only a few days after recieving (and putting into practice), your advice, it is beautiful.
Next year, I hope to catch them all blooming.
I was assured by a friend of mine that this rose is considered an antique rose. I am not sure, since I do not know very much about roses to begin with.
Here's a pic.
[img]https://www.an8search.com/garden/antiquerose.jpg[/img]
Sage