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ROS Help...

17 years ago

Oki, first off... you do not cut the ROS down to the ground like a normal Hibiscus, right?

Second, I have ants eating the buds off my "Violet Satin" ROS. There are no aphids, just ants. I have been spraying them off with water. I have been trying to find the colony to cover in Ortho ant killer, but have been out of luck. What non-chemical way can I treat the ROS so that the ants don't eat her alive? Thanks for any help.

Erin

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Comments (7)

plantsofheaven
17 years ago
Yes. You can use Soaps and dishwashing detergents (Soaps are preferable to detergents) and certain types of oils, such as Ultra Fine Oil. Hope this helps!
Mike
ariesf5
Original Author
17 years ago
How would I make the soap solution? Whould I have to rinse it after a while to ensure the plant doesn't burn/die/wilt/ect? Thanks for the help.
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ariesf5
Original Author
17 years ago
bump
patecake
17 years ago
I ended up putting sevin dust on the ground around the base of mine. Spraying with water wasn't working.
sandysseeds007
17 years ago
Hello Ariesf5, No, do not cut the rose of sharons to the ground like the moschetoes. They are a different family of hibiscus and you get to keep their whole height, as much as you want to keep.

I speak only for the single bloom Rose Of Sharons from this point on. I have no doubles. If you want it to grow tall fast don't pinch the top tip of the center main branch or branches if the main branch was pinched. Actually, if it's still young like a 1-3 feet, pinch to encourage more main branches, like 2 or 3 trees in 1.
If you want it bushier, pinch the tips but at the cost of slower overall growth, especially heighth. Pinching the tips will put branches on an otherwise single branch that protudes out of a main trunk. The only problem with pinching the tips of lateral branches is you end up doing more pruning then you might like, as some branches will stick right out of place while another on the same branch is still small. As you can't see this until the following year, you'll be confronting the issue of taking off flower buds in an effort to keep shape, no great loss if you do, but I guess to me it is because I don't take flower buds off myself until after that season is over and the flowers on that branch are done or almost done.

If you'd rather have a more carefree tree/bush, but more branches, thus flowers, then at least pinch it when it's young.

If you have more than one gathered together in a cluster, they'll grow thick enough so you don't have to pinch the tips, but I do anyway. I'm trying to get the flowering as dense as possible.

Pinching would be done in fall when most or all blooming has stopped.

Happy Gardening - Sandy
sandysseeds007
17 years ago
Hi, I don't believe it's ants, usually they help pollinate peonies and the like and I've never known them to eat my plants, though I see them carrying plenty of stuff around in the garden. Things sometimes at least 5x's their own size. I believe your pestilence is the earwig. I continue this below the recipe your looking for.

Lest the page go dissappearing some day the following has been extracted from: http://www.happyslob.com/bugkillspray.html

Homemade Bug Killer Spray
If you have a buggy problem then try this easy homemade bug spray. Just use it in a clean plastic spray bottle.
1 garlic bulb, chopped or ground
1 quart water
1 small onion, chopped or ground
1 tablespoon liquid soap detergent
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Mix all together except for the liquid soap. Add that and gently stir so as to avoid tons of bubbles. Store in fridge and use when needed. Should keep up to a month or so, maybe longer.

I personally would pass the mixture (before adding soap) through a strainer or you'll block your tube up. Also, I don't think it necessary to mix anything more than the soap and water if that's all you have, as that use to be the simple mix people used.
If you can get your hands on some Neem oil, (I heard you can find it in asian stores) mix that in. It keeps big bug off and it helps kill bugs before they're born and/or hatched. You'll have to search gardenweb for Neem oil to find out the portion to mix in. Some commercial prepared insect repellents have it in.

Do another search for earwigs to track down some great ideas for getting rid of those leaf and bud munchers. You'll never see them on your plant(s), they come out at night for their feast on your garden. And they're choosy when they have a good selection. Earwigs usually hide in dark places and have v antenae? on their butts. Mine are hiding under the birdbath and in the shed during the day.
Good Luck - Sandy
sandy0225
17 years ago
Normally ants wouldn't attack a plant. If you're finding those little small ants, there are aphids or something on there somewhere.

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