How to Protect Your Roses Without Using Chemicals

Your rosebush is a favorite snack for nearly every common garden pest. Maintaining healthy and pest-free roses can be done easily, without harmful chemicals.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Dishwashing Detergent
• Spray Bottles
• Garden Hoses And Attachments
• Ladybugs
• Pruning Shears
• Rosebushes
• Vegetable Oils
• Baking Soda

Protecting Your Roses

1. Inspect rose gardens regularly.
2. Make finding the troublemakers a priority. Learn to identify the most common infestations (aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, fungus and mildew).
3. Cut away all infected areas.
4. Create an anti-fungal/anti-mildew spray by adding 1 tbsp. baking soda and 2 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil to 1 gallon water.
5. Cover the remaining plant surfaces with the solution, using either a spray bottle or a garden hose attachment.
6. Repeat every two weeks or as symptoms appear.

Getting Rid of Offending Insects

7. Mix 1 c. vegetable oil with 1 tbsp. liquid dishwashing soap. Add 1 1/2 tsp. of this mixture per 1 c. warm water. Pour the solution into a handheld spray bottle.
8. Hit each infestation directly.
9. Spray the plant thoroughly.
10. Repeat weekly or as needed.
11. Introduce ladybugs to your garden. They will happily munch aphids and other soft-bodied insects until they fly away home.

Tips & Warnings

• Soap sprays work only as long as leaves are wet. For longer-lasting action, spray mornings and evenings.
• Purchase ladybugs by the hundreds at any garden store or online.
• Soap solutions may "burn" some plants. Choose a small, inconspicuous area of the plant to check for leaf browning.

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