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my roses suffer from mite damage year after year. ive spent a lot of money on neem oil and soap and nothing seems to work. the latest I've tried is "bon neem" which contains pyrethrin (which is supposedly a contact kill). I've made sure to get under the leaves too, which is a challenge since the bushes are thick and thorny. I sprayed two weeks in a row, only to see live mites running around on some of the leaves. thankfully we're not to the point of webbing yet and they're not on every leaf..so I think it isn't severe...
BUT I want to get it under control before the texas weather heats up. time's ticking. i've also hosed the bushes down with water using a "bug blaster" hose attachment. NOTHING WORKS and I know that nuking only causes more problems.
I still have thrips but I think the real bugs that cause the worst damage are spider mites.
Thanks!
what i'm looking for is your recommended insecticides, etc. looking for something that is easy to apply.
I use a product called Mantis. It's peppermint oil and water, with soybean oil as a stabilizer.
Don't apply in heat, but the oil coats the mites and kills them. You have to spray every day for 3 days.
Shake well as you use it. Oil and water separate.
They have other spidermite treatments, including some poisons used in dog flea medications (fleas and spidermites are both arachnids) but I like to go natural if possible, don't know about you.
It will ruin the bloom, but if you spray the leaves and stems for the 3 days it does kill them.
Personally, I'd pick infected blooms off and then heavily spray the effected stems and leaves.
Bayer 3-1 Feed and Protect. It’s systemic and has kept the mites off of our Leylands for the past two years now (and other bugs on other items we have like Laurels, rhododendrons, privets, Japanese maples, crepe myrtles, and so on. They have it for roses too.
For a spray - TalstarP mixed at 1 ounce per gallon and coat all sides.
Bayer 3-1 Feed and Protect. It’s systemic and has kept the mites off of our Leylands for the past two years now (and other bugs on other items we have like Laurels, rhododendrons, privets, Japanese maples, crepe myrtles, and so on. They have it for roses too.
For a spray - TalstarP mixed at 1 ounce per gallon and coat all sides.
I love talstar p that stuff is awesome it killed every ant we had in our yard LOL and a lot of other bugs too . and it is residual too and for the first time in a very long time I don't get ate up out in my flower beds . Mole crickets are gone as well .
I don't like to use insecticides if I can avoid it because they are non-discriminatory and will be detrimental to ALL insects and earthworms, so I prefer to use deterrents and preventatives. I make my own and I don't have any troubles with bad bugs infesting my plants. You can try this recipe, it's also good as a natural fungicide as well and is excellent for getting rid of existing bad insects and keeping them from returning https://homeguides.sfgate.com/garlic...sts-22908.html
Specifically for spider mites I make a somewhat stronger and longer infused solution (3 - 4 days of infusion at room temperature until it gets a slightly vinegary or fermented scent to it, then strain and refrigerate). I keep it on hand for when other people bring their own mite infested plants to my attention, and I also include macerated scapes as well as macerated cloves. Shake well before decanting and spraying.
riaelise,
The safest, easiest thing for me is food grade DE.
I ordered it a couple years ago online, and it lasts a long time.
My roses are doing much better now.
I was impressed at the results.
Don't appy right before a rain, it will wash off too soon.
Even when it does wash off, the bugs seem to stay away.
Good luck.
(It also works great for slugs and snails on hostas)
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