We planted about 10 drift roses this spring and a few of them look sick and have over crowded leaves/flowers on just a few stems. Should they be pruned, fertilized?

That looks like damage from herbicide drift. It should recover with time.

Hi @JenniferKC
Welcome to NGA!

It's hard to clearly see what the leaves and stems look like in this photo. A close-up or two would help.

From your description, it's possible your roses are afflicted with rose rosette virus. Search for information on RRV and see what you think.

I have a couple multiflora roses which have been hit hard by RRV, with most of the branches developing the bushy branching and then dying last year (2022). But some survived and began growing from the base this spring. I applied some imidacloprid granules then to the soil for uptake via the roots. The shoots survived and flowered. I hope the imidacloprid protected them from the midges well enough that they'll regrow next spring. I'll apply it again this fall and in the spring. I did also fertilize them in the spring.

If you think it's RRV, applying imidacloprid to the healthy ones should help protect them from also getting infected.

Keep us posted please!

Pat

I don't see RRV, simply because I see no heavy thorn infestation. Look closely at the stems. I think Porkpal might be correct.

My 2 drift roses which have been gorgeous for many years were nearly killed by rose rosette virus in 2022. There was some regrowth from the base of each last spring. I applied imidacloprid granules. Some of the regrowth stems flowered and appeared healthy. So I have hope.

There are some robust multiflora roses growing in our partly-wild fence rows. They are unaffected so far🙄 I don't know how the midges found my cultivated ones. We're in the country and I haven't planted any new roses in years.

Pat

@JenniferKC are there Chilli Thrips where you are?

JenniferKC left that one post in October 2023 and never came back.