Japanese Beetles and Lavender

14 years ago

Sorry to be bringing up such a dreaded topic so early in the season; however, I was wondering if any of you grow lavender with your roses?

I am asking as I have now encountered two incidents of hearing how lavender is a natural insect repellant. The first encounter was of a local lavender farm and the owner spoke of how the old barn where the lavender is dried and stored is insect free despite being an "open" building. She said there are no bugs of any type whatsoever in this building.

A friend at a party last night spoke of how she plants her tomato plants next to the lavender in order to not have any bugs on her tomatoes. She has been very happy with the arrangement and said the results have been great.

Most lavenders can become quite large; however, I noticed that there are now some available that do not become taller than 12 inches which would make it a nice edging plant for a rose bed although somewhat tall. But, if it helped to repel Japanese Beetles, that would be great.

Has anyone here tried such an arrangement?

Teresa

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Comments (9)

canadian_rose
14 years ago
No, but dwarf lavender sounds wonderful!!!! It would just look fantastic among the roses!!! It would be an EXTRA bonus if it worked against the beetles!!

Carol
sunnishine
14 years ago
sorry but unfortunately no plants help with japanese beetles. There are tons of myths out there, 4 o clocks and angel trumpets are just 2 of the many I have heard.

I did have a geranium one summer that the JB love to eat and it would stun them and make them easy pickins. It was a red one, unfortunately I don't know which variety.
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pauline-vi-8
14 years ago
I guess we are so lucky here not to have Japanese Beetles, yet!!!! I have enough problems with blackspot. But I had to laugh Sunni, when you mention Angel's Trumpets ..........just because, they are the plants that insects love to devour the most, I am sure! In fact I am going to ask here. What do other people do to deter insect infestation from Datura and Brugsmansias. They are soo bad that way.

Anyhow, I have to admit, when the JB topics come up, I thank my lucky stars that I do not have to deal with them and feel sorry for those who do!

Hope you all have a great rose season, free of those monsters.
Pauline
silverkelt
14 years ago
Brugs seem to attract Aphids, if that helps at all =)...

From my experience, JBs will just eat what they want , anything around the plant they dont want, they just dont eat.. they dont to seem to like cosmos... But I suppose a whole garden of cosmos would be a little boring.

They love hardy hibiscus though, and my green beans, and rasberry leaves, etc etc etc..
veilchen
14 years ago
I grow lavender with my roses and it has no affect whatsoever on the JBs.
catsrose
14 years ago
Half my roses are surrounded by lavender because it also deters deer as well as insects. Unfortunately, it does not deter JBs. But it sure smells wonderful and the bees love it, so it makes for a healthy garden.
diane_nj 6b/7a
14 years ago
Ditto veilchen and catsrose. Been growing lavender with roses for years, no effect on JB population.
york_rose
14 years ago
Lavender does have insect repellent properties (one reason why it once was strewn among the bedsheets when they were in storage in bureaus waiting to be placed upon the beds), but it won't help against JB.
teresa_b
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you all for your information. I was hopeful this was one hypothesis that had not yet been explored. I may still go with the lavender as edging --it smells nice and may even keep away other types of insects.

Teresa