Plant Clinic

Rose bush leaves sent in mail rotted

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Hunsberger

By Adrian Hunsberger

dade@ifas.ufl.edu

Q. I sent you some leaves from my rose bush. There’s some sort of disease attacking it.

M.L., South Miami

Unfortunately, the leaves rotted in the mail because they were sent in a plastic bag.

Please send another sample by wrapping the leaves in paper before placing them in a crush-proof box or padded envelope. Identifying crushed or rotting plants is impossible.

When sending samples of plant disease, send the affected part that is beginning to show symptoms or is in mid-stage of the symptoms. Dead leaves are not useful.

For those living in Miami-Dade County, send samples to: UF/Miami-Dade Extension, 18710 SW 288th St., Homestead, FL 33030. Other residents should send samples to their local county Extension office (listed under County Government in the phone book blue pages. Sometimes it’s listed as the Cooperative Extension Service).

Adrian Hunsberger is an entomologist/horticulturist with the UF/IFAS Miami-Dade Extension office. Write to Plant Clinic, 18710 SW 288th St., Homestead, FL 33030; e-mail aghu@ifas.ufl.edu.

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