(BPT) – Warm weather welcomes flowerbeds, gardens burst with color and fragrance, and in many yards, roses are the stars of the show. They’re the most popular and prized flower and one of the most-beloved flowers for weddings, and staples of Valentine’s and Mother’s Day bouquets. Americans love their roses – and so do a host of harmful pests, including Japanese beetles, aphids, mites among other insects, and let’s not forget about deer.
Pests can cause a great deal of damage to roses, especially considering many varieties have a reputation for being tenderly delicate. While some types of roses are hardier against disease, no rose alive can fight off an aphid infestation or fight foraging deer without some help from the gardener. However, growing awareness of the environmental impact of some common pesticides may have many rose gardeners looking for more natural ways to protect their blooms this season.
These 4 measures can help protect rose gardens and the environment:
1. Choosing a good location for your roses is the first step. If you’ll be planting new rose bushes this season, look for a location that will help the roses thrive. The healthier the plant, the hardier it will be in resisting disease and pests. Roses should get six to eight hours of sun per day, and need at least three feet of space on all sides to flourish. Be sure to properly prepare the soil, mulch around the base of the plant, and regularly fertilize and water.
2. Next, keep a careful eye on your roses. Regularly inspect blooms, branches, stems, undersides of leaves and vines for signs of insect infestation, including the preseance of eggs, grubs and adult insects. Watch for evidence of deer damage too; such as ragged bites a foot or more above the ground.
3. Keep pests and deer away with a natural, environmentally friendly, dual purpose repellent like Bobbex Rose Deer and Insect Repellent. The easy-to-apply, ready-to-use foliar spray discourages deer foraging through taste and smell aversion, while simultaneously repelling insects such as aphids, mites, Japanese beetles, leafhoppers, greenflies and sawflies. The product is compatible with nature, not classified as an insecticide and is harmless to all wildlife, pets, birds and people.
4. Use nature to defend your roses; hang bird feeders to attract backyard birds that regularly dine on insects harmful to roses. You can also purchase lady bugs, which eat aphids, to release in your rose garden. Just be sure to research the best time and conditions for releasing lady bugs, or they will fly away before making any impact.
The fragrance and colors of roses are among the most delightful indulgences of the warm weather season. With a bit of attention, planning and effective natural assistance, it’s possible, even easy, to keep your roses radiantly resplendent while naturally protecting them and the environment.
Gibbs Gardens, less than an hour from Atlanta, is nestled in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains. The Gibbs family developed more than 220 acres of gardens. This 300-acre estate, now open to the public, has a 25-year-old manor house that overlooks the mountains and gardens.
Check the website for current hours (seasonal) of operation, www.gibbsgardens.com.
