Last year my English roses were growing smashingly until I doused them with baking soda in an attempt to get rid of the black spot. Thanks, dad! To be fair, I do not remember whether or not dad suggested that I should dilute the baking soda with water. I remember something to the effect of “oh just sprinkle a little baking soda on them. That will do it.” Well it certainly did do it. It got rid of the black spot but it also got rid of my Graham Thomas and Abraham Darby English roses!! Fortunately, the English Heritage rose is extremely tough and withstood the whiles of undiluted baking soda.
Baking soda must be diluted to use as a spray!
For those of you considering using baking soda to get rid of black spot, a note of caution! I have since learned from Heirloom Roses that you should only use one teaspoon of baking soda per gallon of water. I, however, feel much safer using already prepared sprays, though the concentrated ones that need to be mixed with water have worked the best for me. I recommend Garden’s Alive Rose and Ornamental Plant Spray.
Garden’s Alive rose and ornamental plant spray works extremely well and has specific instructions as to how much water to mix with it to spray on the roses. Garden’s Alive also sells other sprays and products that are very effective on roses, such as Bulls-eye Bioinsectiside (also good for fruit trees – gets rid of those pesky green worms). Customer service reps are always happy to talk to you and to provide helpful advice. They, like many nurseries these days, do not have a toll free number.
Most sprays recommend spraying every 7-14 days. Regularly spraying your rose plants helps to prevent many types of pests, such as borers, mites, and aphids, and keeps your roses healthy! The Garden’s Alive spray mentioned above not only prevents black spot and mildew problems, but also protects roses against many different kinds of pests. Of course when it rains right after you spray, you’ll need to spray again as the majority of the spray will be washed away.
Once your roses start to bud out and flower, make sure never to spray rose buds or flowers. Spray the leaves only. Also, make sure to spray early in the morning or very late afternoon to evening. That way, there is no danger that the heat of the sun and the combination of the spraying will burn your roses.
For additional tips on rose care, I recommend
All About Roses (Ortho’s All About Gardening)
by Ortho
Most homeowners have probably spent hours looking at the different types of garden seeders. You may have even come across…
When it comes to vehicle lovers, cleaning their cars on a regular basis is essential to maintaining the paint job's…
Gas chainsaws are the perfect tool for a variety of outdoor tasks, including chopping up logs for firewood, clearing brush…
A home can be a daunting project, one that takes some time and energy to maintain. With hard work, determination,…
Today ginger is grown all over tropical and subtropical regions in Asia, in parts of Africa and South America, and…
Onions are one of the most popular vegetables in the world, and growing onions is a snap in the home…