Make Bug Repellent for Baby Roses

Edited by Jerry Rivers, Lynn, Eng, Inukshuk and 3 others

Jerry-baby roses and baby.jpg

Many varieties of roses beautify the landscape of a home or commercial setting. The cultivars and hybrids are especially splendid, and can be found in a variety of vivid colors. They grow on stems from clinging, climbing or erect shrubs. Roses are also available in a variety of sizes; and the fragrance of roses changes with every variety

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Enemies of Roses

The biggest problem for these prized flowers is that that they are susceptible to insects, such as caterpillars, aphids, mites, and other species. Baby roses, also called miniature roses, are especially targeted by these pests. You can use commercial pesticides to stave off insects, but with their powerful chemicals, it is harsh on your roses, dangerous for the environment and especially dangerous for children and pets. When there are things you can do that are harmless to all the above, well, pesticides should be avoided at all costs. Imagine this - your cute dog rolls around in the yard, picking up freshly sprayed pesticides on his cut little paws. Now he goes back in the house, and walks on the rug, jumps on the couch, maybe even curls up on the kids' beds. You baby puts her hands were the dog has walked, and then puts her fingers in her mouth. No matter how you look at it, they are poisons.

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All About Baby Roses

Baby roses are cherished in any garden with their bright colors and tiny petals. They grow no more than about 1 ½ feet high, and have been cultivated for several millennia. During the Renaissance of Europe, baby roses were even used as currency. Because their blooms are so much more delicate than the larger roses, you must give them extra care. Along with the extra care, it is best to use a homemade bug repellent to protect your baby roses. There are several pesticides that you can make for baby roses, and they will be much safer for the roses, neighboring plants, children, pets, and the environment. Fungus and mildew are also their enemy, so one recipe for fungus control is provided in this article along with recipes for bug repellents.

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Recipes For Pesticides and Fungicides for Baby Roses

JR - baby roses bouquet.jpg
  1. 1
    Proper care to help control harmful bugs.
     
    1. Avoid using the commercial insecticides.
    2. There are a few species of insects that are helpful to your baby roses.
    3. Plant a few varieties of herbal plants and flowering plants around your roses that help prevent pests.
    4. Prune the parts of the rose bushes that are hit with pests.
    5. Allowing specific creatures such as caterpillars will help prevent the unwanted insects.
    6. Give your baby roses plenty of water to cut down the number of pests.
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  2. 2
    FUNGUS AND MILDEW CONTROL
    .
     
    1. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to every gallon of soap-oil insect spray to retard the spread of fungus.
    2. Use this mixture as soon as you see any signs of fungus or mildew.
    3. Then use it once a week when the weather conditions are right for fungus or mildew growth.
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  3. 3
    SOAP-OIL SPRAY
    .
    This will stop lace bugs, scales, spider mites, and other pests.  
    1. Mix 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil with 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid (gentle hair shampoo also works) in a cup of water.
    2. For a larger quantity, mix 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil with the soap per gallon of water.
    3. Spray it on the leaves and stems until covered well. Do this once per week.
    4. Be sure to rinse off all of the solution so that you do not burn the plant.
    5. I recommend spraying a test patch on your baby roses and check it after a few days to make sure it won't harm your beautiful flowers.
      Jr- colorful roses.jpg
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  4. 4
    ANTI-ANT SPRAY
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    Get rid of ants with peppermint oil spray. Ants do not harm your baby roses directly, but they chow on honeydew from harmful insects. This wreaks havoc on the ecosystem. When there is no honeydew, the natural predators of the harmful insects do not come to where the ants live.
     
    1. By controlling the ant population the beneficial insects will become more plentiful.
    2. Mix one part of peppermint oil to 10 parts of water.
    3. Spray this solution directly onto the base of your baby rose bushes.
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  5. 5
    REGULAR WATER SPRAY
    .
    If you hit your rose bushes with a powerful water spray. It serves a few purposes:  
    1. Harmful insects are blasted off the plant.
    2. Honeydew, which attracts scales, aphids, mealybugs, etc., is removed.
    3. A number one enemy, the spider mites, are kept away since they thrive on dusty plants.
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  6. 6
    PEPPER SPRAY INSECTICIDE
    .
    These steps will assist you in keeping the pesky pests off your lovely baby roses. It is best to use all of these measures as an all-out war against the unwanted bugs. Apply this once a week to keep those unwanted bugs away from your roses.
     
    1. Add two tablespoons of red pepper and six drops of liquid dish detergent to one gallon of water.
    2. Leave this solution in a bucket for eight hours so all the ingredients will dissolve completely.
    3. Pour the solution through a strainer into your spray bottle.
    4. Test spray a small spot on one baby rose to ensure the solution isn't too strong.
    5. If there is no change on the rose petals, it is OK to spray the entire plant.
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Questions and Answers

Rose bush has tiny ants, organic solution?

I am not the best Gardner. My husband gifted me a beautiful red rose bush I've had for 4 years, but this year it has ants. I thought maybe since, I have not been feeling well, and have not been the primary water giver, perhaps the roses received ants. Is there a simple organic solution to get rid of the ants? I was thinking of castle soap with water, and spray. Read somewhere that coffee grounds work to repel. Also, have been using organic fertilizer regularly with good results, but perhaps with the rains, had just passed the El Nino weather, maybe something's changed. I have tried: Nothing yet, just noticed the ants the other day, beginning researching and worrying. I think it was caused by: Weather had been rainy, very humid, was not the primary water giver, perhaps over or even not enough water? We just received another beautiful rose potted bush, OMG smells wonderful, English rose, but these roses are healthy.

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I need a gentle, natural insecticide for my miniature roses and instructions on how to use it?

Hi! My name is Angie. My miniature rose looks generally healthy, but I have noticed that there are bite places on some of the leaves and that the new growth closer to the soil doesn't look healthy. I've been trimming these parts away, but I'd also like to add something to stop whatever is eating on the leaves without affecting the beneficial insects. I am new to growing roses. This plant was given to me as a Mother's Day gift. I have so much to learn. I have tried: Trimming back damaged growth. I think it was caused by: Some kind of insect or possibly slugs. I noticed slimy looking substance on one of the leaves.

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Article Info

Categories : Gardening

Recent edits by: Nuance, Angie Dyer, Inukshuk

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