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donnann_gw

advise please, pic

19 years ago

I am ready to scream, yank my hair out and set fire to my garden. If it isn't slugs, jb's, little bugs, it's diseases. I spray religously, although I've been keeping away from insecticides. Right now everything is running together in my head and I can't tell bug from disease damage. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Donna

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Comments (6)

  • 19 years ago

    If the yellowing is actually fine stippling, it's spider mites. The underside of the leaves would look dusty and dirty. You can see the mites moving around & their webbing with a 6x hand lens. If so, I would spray affected plants very thoroughly with soap or hort oil (for ex., 1 tsp dish soap / quart) and then start giving a hard spray of water to the undersides at least twice a week.

  • 19 years ago

    michaelg's advice is good. I can't tell from the pic what I think the problem even is, let alone what's caused it. The camera's focus is off for what you want to show.

  • 19 years ago

    I see the webbing. I was hoping the merit 75 would work but I guess not. Thank you for your advise.

  • 19 years ago

    Merit contributes to spider mite problems. It doesn't kill them but disturbs them enough that they increase their birthrate. (Sounds weird, but it's a scientific finding.) Also various insecticides cause mite outbreaks by killing mite predators.

  • 19 years ago

    From what I have learned about using no artificial chemicals is that we have to be okay with roses that are not perfect. But then I don't have JB's. I would go insane over those.

  • 19 years ago

    I have used Merit and found it outstanding in fending off little critters for extended periods of time. I spray very carefully only the tops of the bloom buds to eradicate thrips and it has proven quite effective and so far has not increased the spider mite problem this year. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
    As a newbie a couple of years ago, I used Orthenex with wild abandon all over my roses and soon realized my stupidity and it's consequences when I had a major spider mite outbreak that was worse than the original thrip problem could ever hope to be.
    I do try to be environmentally conscious when using these chemicals on all occasions now. I realize that a little bug damage is tolerable and every bloom does not have to be perfect.
    That being said, I will not just idly stand by and let the bugs completely ruin my garden, I will continue to spray as absolutely necessary, but with caution in mind.
    John