Sharifa Asma
Taboo
Voodoo
Melody Parfume
DA Evelyn (my husband found on sale for something like $5)
My Mom's Rose, Nancy Reagan - new this year
Yellow Dream Rose with FeverfewI have a small, but intimate, bed of roses. I love pulling in the driveway and having their beautiful faces greet me. So far, this has been a good year for them. They loved the wet, cold, spring and I watched them closely for any signs of blackspot.
My goal this year was to rid them of the thrips that almost ruined them last year. The spring had started out hot and dry last year and they really took hold. I was determined to get rid of them, and whether or not it was my effort (hope it was) or Mother Nature's, I'm pleased to report that I see very little sign of thrips this year. Last fall, before I put them to bed, I removed most of the surface soil, then placed newspapers on the ground around each rose. Then, I piled lots of clean compost mixed with a little manure, with a heavy top dressing of mulch for the winter. Then I prayed... a LOT!
This spring when I uncovered some of the soil and mulch, I used Bayers 2 in 1 systemic, being pretty generous. As each bud began to appear I sprayed with Safer Rose Insect product. Later I added a new fertilizer I found at the nursery...Peace of Mind Organic (boy, did I ever need that). I had lost two new roses because of the harsh winter, and two of the older ones are recovering. But I've had some beautiful blooms this first flush, with.... get it.... NO THRIPS! Hooray! A rosarian I'm not, but I sure do love my roses.
