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Roses inc Tulsa. PEST ALERT |
 The leaves of this rose are indicative of spider mite damage. They have the appearance of being dirty. Some of you with better eyes than mine will be able to see the tiny mites moving on the surface. A 30 power magnification will allow you to see the mites and their eggs. |
During my garden visits this week I am seeing an increasing number of spider mites on the roses. Hot weather is a boon for the reproduction of the mites which can go from egg to reproducing adult in 3 days if the weather is sufficiently warm as it is now.
If you see this on your roses you already have a substantial infestation and you must take immediate action.
If the damage is present I would suggest using Tetra San to stop the build up of mites and further damage to your roses. Two applications 2 weeks apart should be sufficient. Malathion is also effective against the adult mites but you must make 3 applications 3 days apart for control. The non pesticide option is to use a very hard spray of water on the underside of the leaves every day for a week.
The best control can be achieved by preventing the mites from building up to populations that can do damage. Therefore this is a very good time to apply a prophylactic application of Tetra San. Tetra San is one of the few products on the market able to kill the eggs of the mite and it renders the adults sterile and after their very short life cycle they will be gone. Make sure to spray so you have complete leaf coverage with any of the methods above. For more answers to your questions email me or came by or call Roses inc. Tulsa at 918-455-7673 |
