Marianne's Response

Rose bush

My neighbor rose bushes I bought her was lively and had a bloom and it shriveled up and still some green on the base. I told her to cut back the dead stems and she showed them to me, they were hollow inside and almost looked like some sort of bug probably not alive. We cannot figure what it is.

Posted by Cathleen Gill on June 29, 2019

Marianne's Response

Your instincts are correct. Sounds like the cane borer insect that makes a hole in the stem then bores out the center or pith of the cane. To control cut the canes all the way down to green stem and do not compost the cut sections that contain the larvae that is feeding on the cane. Fertilize, water and new growth should appear to give your rose bush a second act. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti