I remember last year.

16 years ago

Right this minute, my container roses are doing great--but I remember last year, all of a sudden I was invaded with those nasty little green worms and they riddled my roses before I could find them. Is there anything we could cover these roses with--like some sort of row covers that would protect them during the time when the caterpillars do their thing and all of this luscious foliage is gone. I'm a no sprayer and try to make my gardens attractive to the birds--in fact I spoil them to keep them around. Why does trying to grow even the shrubs turn into such a nightmare, and please don't make me feel guilty for not spraying. Barb

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Comments (6)

kathy9norcal
16 years ago
Couldn't you spray with bacillus spores that get rid of caterpillers and don't harm anything else? Or are you opposed to actually killing the green worms?
I won't make you feel guilty for not spraying, I admire you for it. But if I were going to let my roses be completely eaten by worms, I would find another plant to love. I hope you find a solution that you can live with. Let us know!
Kathy
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
16 years ago
They aren't caterpillars, but rose slugs.

We had them very bad one year, but only one year. Ever since then they seem to have enough enemies to keep the population under control. If you find wasp nests in bearable places, leave them. I've seen wasps circling rose leaves hunting something.
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Terry Crawford
16 years ago
I had lots of rose slug damage here last year for the first time also but haven't seen any visible damage yet...keeping my fingers' crossed.

Do the slugs hide UNDER the leaves or are they readily visible on top?
canadian_rose
16 years ago
They're under the leaves. When I see a leaf that has damage, I look under most of the leaves on that plant and squish the slugs between two small rocks! Part of my daily patrol that lasts a few weeks, then it's over. No big deal. (At least not here.)

Carol
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
16 years ago
I have found that if you can spot the first bit of damage and kill them ASAP, then the damage is limited. Some of the rose slugs have just 1 generation per year, others have 4 or 5...I must have the 4 or 5 kind, because if I can kill the 1st generation of the year, they don't do further damage.
barb_roselover_in
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the answers. Kathy, I certainly am not opposed to squashing those nasty things--just like I enjoy destroying the Japanese beetles. It seemed like they did all of the dirt almost overnight. Do you mean the Bt, because I was unable to find it in our local stores, as I live in a small town. I had a melanoma on my arm and am leery of any kind of spraying, I'm afraid, although that was several years ago. I live in blackspot heaven, so I gave up the hybrid teas, but have even had trouble with the shrub roses. I have even resorted to having a couple of hybrid teas, since I love their buds, and simply keeping them in a container and using them as an annual. That becomes a rather expensive hobby, however.I have a Dream Rose which is very hardy, but I get tired of the Knockouts, although they provide a lot of color. Barb