How To Keep Pests From Destroying Your Rose Flowers

Your home's garden certainly needs some beautification, and there is no better way to do it than growing some rose flowers. They are among the most popular flowers in the world because of their beauty and appeal. However, all that beauty roses carry doesn't come easy because they require a lot of care and tending during their lifetime and after harvesting. They are prone to attack by pests, which often destroy their beautiful petals and other parts. Watch out for the following uninvited guests in your rose flower garden:

Aphids

Aphids are the first culprits on the list of pests known for destroying rose flowers. If you have never seen them before, aphids resemble pears and come in a host of colours such as black, red or green. Their favourite spots on the rose plant are newly formed flower buds where the aphids can suck plant sap using their sharp nose tips. After sucking the sap, the aphids secrete a sticky substance referred to as honeydew. This sticky substance creates a point of infection by hosting black sooty mould. It also attracts insects that feed on the sections of the flower, hindering its growth.

The good thing is that you can keep out aphids using natural means. Their natural enemies include soldier beetles and lady beetles, and you can introduce them into your farm to reduce the population of the aphids. Besides that, you should spray jets of water on the roses early in the morning to knock off the aphids.

Thrips

Thrips are also notorious for causing harm to rose flowers. They feed on the beautiful petals, leading to discolouration and deformation when buds open up to produce new flowers. Even though they like all varieties of roses, light coloured rose flowers are at a higher risk because they catch the pests' attention quite easily. Moreover, the attacks are severe if your rose plants form a thicket that provides the breeding ground for the thrips.

Managing thrip problems requires a combination of both natural and artificial mechanisms. Lacewings feed on thrips and therefore provide an effective means of natural control. Additionally, insecticidal soaps and other chemicals such as acephate and imidacloprid also come in handy.

Leafcutter Bees

Naturally, bees are attracted to flowers in their quest for nectar that they use to make honey. Leafcutter bees will thus attack your rose flowers and create semi-circular holes in the leaves. They need this material to line their nests. However, the leafcutter bees are beneficial to the roses because they promote pollination. Since they don't damage flowers directly, there is no need for control.

For help dealing with pests in your garden, contact a pest removal company.