Coach's Grill Ville

Archive for January, 2010

Roses are one of the flowers that are commonly used to express emotions and intentions like friendship, love, thoughtfulness, joy and many more. Many people, especially women, love the appearance as well as the smell of roses. Roses can add up to the attractiveness of a garden with its beautiful color and appearance. Yet, those who have roses planted in their gardens may have noticed some pests that damage and even kill their beloved blooms and leaves.

There are at least ten possible insects or pests that can give you headaches when you grow roses. These may include aphids, earwigs, spider mites, sawfly larvae, cane borers, thrips, Japanese beetles, pear slugs, leaf-cutter bees, and rose midge. Depending on the kind of pest you are dealing with, there are some things you can do in order to preserve your roses and keep your plants healthy. Aphids, which appear during spring and summer, are the most common insects that affect roses. They suck the roses’ sap which results to the weakening of the plant. One can use the garden hose to spray these tiny, oval-shaped insects off, or use insecticidal soap to eliminate them. You may also opt to grow plants that attract ladybugs, insects that feed on aphids, around or near your roses. Some insects like pear slugs, leaf-cutter bees and sawfly larvae feed on the leaves of roses, and holes in your roses’ leaves are a good indication that you might be dealing with them. You may also use insecticides to get rid of them.

Spider mites, on the other hand, are not insects. Therefore, trying to eliminate them with insecticides won’t work. Strong spray from your garden hose can be effective enough to get rid of them.