Roses in Arizona and Thrips

Discussion in 'Rosa (roses)' started by RoseLady, Apr 22, 2008.

  1. RoseLady

    RoseLady Active Member

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    Recently I posted a thread asking about the burnt edges on my roses. I got several responses and the general consensus was that it was sun damage. I just wanted to let you know what the problem was. It was thrips! I have pictures to show you the before and after results if I can figure out how to download them. I used very small, quick sprays of Ortho insect spray on the unopened buds. The thrips will enter the tender bud and begin "eating" the tips of the flower. There is an enzyme or something that they like there at the tip. By the time they open up, the edges appear seered or burnt. I did not spray close to the plant, but held the spray can about 12 to 18 inches from the bud as I sprayed.....ever so slightly spraying. The results are awesome!

    The tendency for thrips is for them to attack lighter shades of roses verses the dark ones.(mauves, light yellows, soft pinks) I attached a picture also of a red rose that "lives" right next door to the mauve and as you can see it is thrips free. It's the darker roses that seem to be spared.This mauve rose used to be my least favorite rose and now it's my favorite!!! Below are some articles on thrips. Keep checking your roses because they WILL come back!


    http://www.ibiblio.org/rge/archive/991014_11472.html

    http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/flowers/roses/rosepests.asp
     

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  2. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    what a pretty, pretty rose!!!

    i'm glad you figured out what the problem was!!
     
  3. RoseLady

    RoseLady Active Member

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    joclyn,

    I just took the last (3rd) picture of the mauve rose about 2 hours ago. it's nightime here and I wasn't sure if it would come out but it did. It's amazing how quickly the spray works. In one week my plants look healthy and beautiful.

    Another problem I was having with a new Hibiscus I purchased about 3 weeks ago was buds dropping off the plant. We had a cold spell about 3 weeks ago just after I bought the Montego Wind hibiscus. It had a ton of buds and they kept falling off. So I watered it more and watered it more and watered it more. It seemed to suck up the water like it was parched. The buds "held" but never really bloomed. I noticed that the soil wasn't right. It seemed old and spent. I just repotted it this past weekend and holy buckets!! It exploded in a mass of blooms. All it needed was new soil. I was almost about to take it back to Home Depot as you have one year from purchase date to return plants. In 6 years of gardening I have only returned one plant that didn't make it out of the many I have purchased. It's more of a challenge to bring them back to live for me I guess. I rescue baby bunnies and birds too! ha! I just took a bird with a broken wing to vets today actually on my way home from work. I think plants are next to animals. Almost take on a life of their own. Anyway, the hibiscus is thriving and happy and blooming well. I have lost 4 to freeze in the past 6 years and have learned my lesson. They MUST be brought in if the temp drops into the 30's or they won't make it. I think between the cold spell and the bad potting soil the hibiscus was on its way out. Have you ever grown one? This one will be pampered in its new home.

    Do you live in cold country?
     
  4. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    whenever you buy stuff that's potted and going to stay potted, you really need to redo them after you've had them home they've adjusted to the new place for a week or so.

    the growers keep plants in conditions that are conducive to just keeping the plants going...usually they're not potted in the ideal soil because 1) it's cheaper for the growers to use peat and 2) the growers have the ability to put watering on timers and that 3) manipulates the growing conditions to accomadate growing plants in less than ideal soils.

    i'm glad your hibiscus bloomed - pics please!!
     
  5. RoseLady

    RoseLady Active Member

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    Here are some pics for you joclyn. I took them today. I am so glad you suggested that I do that because look what I found!!! If you look at the first and second pic closely, you can see 2thrips inside the beautiful flower!!!!!! Maybe that was also contributing to their demise. I immediately sprayed! I repotted it this past weekend and it had a burst of bloom. Hibiscus blooms only last for about 1-2 days....maybe 3 at most. So the burst is gone (you can see closed up spent flowers), but if you look at the other pic you can see all the new buds. It is recycling and getting ready to bloom again this time with many more buds! It has come a long way since it was repotted. It's happy again. Isn't that a beautuful orange color? I will take pictures again once the buds open up. I will keep checking it for thrips.
     

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