Roses

vikki · #1 (**permalink**) 04-19-2002, 08:17 PM

I am looking for things to use on roses for bugs,without using chemicals..also if anyone would have any great ideas on distacting flies..we get them so bad from the nice farmers spreading all the nice smelling stuff on the fields

Thanks

happysahm · #2 (**permalink**) 07-08-2002, 03:44 PM

Here are a couple I got off the HGTV website. I have used them and they work as long as you keep applying.

Mix 1 tbsp. dishwashing liquid and 1 cup cooking oil with 1 cup of water. Pour in a sprayer and shake well.

Isoprophyl alcohol on a cottonball wiped over the leaves will kill several pests too.

Crushed garlic, chewing tobacco soaked in 1 qt of water , or hot chili peppers pureed in the blender will also keep bugs from returning.

I took my hose and washed off all the bugs I could see, rubbing the underside of the leaves where they like to hide. I then sprayed the dishsoap/oil solution above and it killed all our aphids.

juliebelle · #3 (**permalink**) 07-09-2002, 10:27 AM

I've got the mites on mine- you know the white-ish looking stuff that gets on the leaves? I've used the commercial killer, but you have to keep reapplying it and since it was very expensive I decided to wait. (thought eating would be more important than the roses!). Would the dish/oil solution work do you think? I've cut off the stems of the infected places, but have had to cut off a bunch of the rose to do that! More than I wanted to for sure. I have three bushes that refuse to bloom again too. Any way to make them come out again? They had a batch of blooms once earlier in the spring, but now are just growing straight with no sight of blooms!

happysahm · #4 (**permalink**) 07-09-2002, 11:21 AM

I would certainly give the dishsoap/oil solution a try. It can't hurt anything...........good luck.

vikki · #5 (**permalink**) 07-09-2002, 04:18 PM

Yes, I agree its certainly worth a try! I want to thank you for the tip..I think one of our problems here is the lack of rain,so the bugs are vegging out on what is left of the green stuff!! Now the grasshoppers are in on it :-(
So I'm off to mix up some brew for these critters!
Thanks,
Vikki

Please Lord send us sme rain.....

icedoll21 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-12-2002, 01:12 PM

I see others have given you great advice for getting the bugs off your roses so I will tell you what is great for those pesky flies:

SANTOLINA, an herb, is a great plant that will attract flies like you've never seen!! It will not "kill" the flies but they will prefer this plant over almost anything, also it is a perinal so it will come back every year and grows nicely compact.

PENNYROYAL, also an herb in the mint family repels flies as well and I use to make a "tea" from it to spray on my outside dogs. I was pleased with the results.

Hope this helps