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How to protect antique roses from Japanese Beatles?

It happened, this is my second year with these heritage roses and the Japanese Beatles are loving my blooms, they are all over them... how do I fight them and what can I do to prevent this from happening next year?


:(

Comments (13)

  • andre_papantonio
    6 years ago

    I have had success cutting all the buds off of my roses when I see the first JBs (in my area usually mid-June) and keep doing it for a few weeks, My theory is that I don't feed them and they won't stick around my area to lay their larvae. Whether or not this is true theoretically, last year i had practically no JBs and this year even fewer.

  • Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
    6 years ago

    You can go around with a bucket of soapy water ( I use a lot of soap to be sure they die quick ) and knock them in . I have seen people put bags over their blooms to protect them if you need them for showing or bouquets. Drawstring organza bags I think they are called. It's a horrible battle !

  • Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
    6 years ago

    Roxana,

    If you are into Heritage\Old Garden Roses, one way of combatting JB is to grow only once blooming varieties. They will be finished or nearly finished with their annual show before the Japanese Beetles show up. When they arrive the damage they may do to the foliage of the roses, unless you are heavily infested with them, is mostly cosmetic, and should not effect next year's flowering.

    Moses





  • Roxana *** ZN 5 Indianapolis IN ***
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    So, I purchased 2 diff kinds of beetle traps, I have one out there far away from my roses and I have at least a dozen beetles there in one bag, I have had it hanging from 2 days now and since I put it up my roses have been beetle-free ( I have checked throughout the day) so far I am happy with this, we will see how this works for the whole season.


  • Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
    6 years ago

    Roxana please report back about it ! I have heard mixed things and want to try myself but also do not want to attract more than I would have gotten.

  • Roxana *** ZN 5 Indianapolis IN ***
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    I will definitively update, I have heard mixed reviews about them as well, so far so good.

  • Roxana *** ZN 5 Indianapolis IN ***
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    That is very interesting Sonic, I would definitely keep a eye on this and will give cedar oil a try if the traps don't do the trick.


  • oldrosarian
    6 years ago

    Cover the whole rose bush with gauze with bridal type netting and then tie it tight under the base. When the beetles have gone, take it off.

  • Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
    6 years ago

    Oh my do not use cedar spray on your roses. It will burn your leaves very easily in even slightly hot weather.

  • Sonic (6b)
    6 years ago

    Right, the bottled cedar spray on the market or straight bottled cedar oil would indeed burn things. The EO recipe called for only a few drops per gallon. Just a tiny bit... like putting the wood in a bucket of water, to spread the cedar scent around. :)


  • Janaina (Zone 6B - Maryland)
    6 years ago

    Wow Very impressive the comments above... it's really nice to see how people work hard in their garden. But honestly, how can a garden be fully appreciated having a net over bushes? Way too much headache for something that should be delightful. I use Bayer 3 in 1 every 15 days and it's done. IMO a garden should be a place to enjoy and have peace. I know Bayer 3 in 1 kill all the bugs - the good and the bad ones - but roses and flowers in general are a huge investment. A Rose bush from a good nursery is very expensive to allow it to be infested with bugs.

  • barbarag_happy
    6 years ago

    My house is full of roses during Jap. beetle season; I cut the blooms as early as I can. I also make several trips a day with my soapy water.

    Mostly, I remind myself that the beetle season is a matter of a few weeks. Roses bloom here from April thru October so I can be somewhat philosophical. (It's hard tho!)

    And I have treated with milky spore and it really does help.

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