Roses are beautiful but can be a bit challenging to grow. There are many insects and diseases that can chip away at the health of your roses. He are six symptoms of disease in your roses and how to treat them.

1. Malformed young canes or canes that are stunted

this is a fungal disease which is called powdery mildew. It covers stems bods and leaves with a white powder that spreads in the breeze. The leaves will turn purple and curl. To treat this, spray with Benomyl or Funginex.

2. Black spots on leaves

Aptly named, this disease is usually referred to as black spot. These spots are circular and have fringed edges causing the leaves to yellow. To treat this you want to remove infected leaves and pick up any that have fallen around the plant. You can also buy artificial sprays to treat and prevent black spot.

3. Stunted or malformed flowers and leaves

Malformed leaves and flowers can be caused by spider mites. These little tiny mites can be green red or yellow and usually hang around on the underside of the leaves where they have a good old time sucking the juices. You can try applying Isotox or Orthene to help treat these little pests.

4. Blistered leaves

If you notice the underside of your roses leaves are blistered you may have the disease known as rust. Blisters are an orange red color in turn black in the fall. This disease can live throughout the winter and in spring when new sprouts formidable attack them. To treat this get rid of any leaves that are infected both on the plants and on the ground. Spray Funginex or Benomyl every seven to 10 days for treatment.

5. Flowers which are malformed or do not open

this is another problem with roses that can be caused by bugs called Thrips. These are fain brownish yellow bugs that have fringed wings and damage your plant by sucking the juices from the flower buds. To get rid of them you'll have to cut off the infested flowers. Malathion and Orthene may also be used to treat this problem.

6. Leaves that are weak and mottled or show tiny white webs underneath

Here you may have a problem with aphids. These tiny blogs can be green and brown or red and often hang around in clusters under the leaves and flower buds where they suck juices. Try spraying with diazinon or malathion in on to get rid of them.

If your roses to not have any of these pests or diseases but are still unhealthy looking you might want to look at the way you are fertilizing them. Roses are very hungry and do require fertilization. Talk to your local gardening store to find out what's best for your area.