Rose pests arrive early, about the end of April, when we are occupied with planning our gardens. By that time thrips and aphids are already on some of the rose varieties in both my garden and in the Olivia White Hospice Garden. Thrips, especially, are very destructive, so you must act quickly to control them.
The common thrips in our region is the Western Flower Thrips. Thrips (which is both singular and plural) are about 1 millimeter to 2 millimeter in length, thin-winged, white or tan insects. Thrips use their piercing, sucking mouthparts to feed on the juices of the rose bud and the new leaves that surround it until they are so dehydrated that the buds are unable to bloom. Two of the rose bushes in the Hospice Garden lost their entire June bloom this season because the rose buds and their protective leaves became so badly damaged that they withered and turned dark red. When this happens, you must cut away all of the wilted red new leaves and the wilted buds, put them in a bag, tie it, and throw it away in the trash. You can then spray the new buds with a solution containing Spinosad (an insecticidal ingredient) about every five days until the infestation ends.
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