Daily gardening tip · Southern hemisphere · Friday 23 October 2026 · mid spring
Check Rose Leaves for Orange Rust Spots
Warm mid-spring weather creates ideal conditions for fungal diseases to appear on fresh foliage.
5 minuteseasydiseases
Walk to your rose bushes.
Gently tilt up a few leaf stems to view the undersides.
Look for tiny, bright orange powdery spots on the lower leaf surface.
Pick off any leaves that show these orange spots.
Dispose of the affected leaves in the household trash, not the compost pile.
Why it works
Orange powdery spots are the early sign of rose rust, a fungal infection. Catching it early prevents the spores from spreading to the rest of the plant and weakening your spring blooms.
A coarse-textured, warm-season perennial turfgrass that spreads vigorously via above-ground stolons. It features broad, flat leaf blades with rounded tips and forms a dense, carpet-like lawn
Scientists tested a lightweight protective mesh inspired by military clothing on strawberry plants. The fabric allowed air, sunlight, and rain to reach the plants while completely blocking insect pests. This simple physical barrier tripled strawberry harvests while reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
Botanist Margaret Bryan Davis born on 23 October 1931
American paleoecologist Margaret Bryan Davis was born on 23 October 1931. She pioneered the study of ancient plant pollen and spores trapped in lake sediments. Her landmark research showed how plant communities continuously adapt and migrate in response to changing climates over thousands of years.
