At the moment Marigolds... Why? Last year was the first time I had very little damage from Rose Slugs... I had Marigolds planted all around most of our roses... But I need to experiment more as I'm NOT sure if it was because of the Marigolds or if it was another factor?

Hi cleangeek, I started candyturf seeds so I'm glad that they make a good grown cover for roses.
Jim, that would be quite the discovery. I'm tempted to plant some marigolds around the roses too. I hate rose slugs! I typically patrol to hand crush them. I've seen them turn a plant into a skeleton in no time.

Great thread, Mas ! I love candyturf .. low-growing, so pretty in full-sun. Marigolds host wasps .. and wasps eat rose slugs. I stop planting marigolds around my patio, since wasp nested in the porch light, plus inside our grill.

My favorite is alyssum .. both white and purple. I have to plant them yearly, but they spread easily. Snapdragons I only planted once, and they re-seed year after year. I killed all my daylilies, since they look messy when NOT in bloom.

Straw, I had no idea that snapdragons reseeded itself. I might consider them in that case. I like annuals that reseed. I love alyssum too. One of the reasons that I love it is because it reseeds for me. This year I should have a boat load of four o'clocks and balsam volunteers from last year's plants.

Mas, thanks for the info. of four o'clocks and balsam volunteers ... will have to look them up. How's the fragrance on four o'clocks? Thanks.

I never tried four o'clocks because I heard they are poisonous to animals and we have pets running around... Articles seem to conflict with each other...lol... So who knows?

I don't know if they are poisonous. I have two dogs and luckily they have not bothered the 4 o'clock plants. The fragrance is there but it is mild. It also depends what the humidity level is. One thing I can say is that once they start blooming, they do not stop until it frosts. These below were just three plants.

They look fantastic mas_loves_roses1....

Thanks, Jim! They were very easy to start. I know what you mean about worrying about toxic plants. I love the pictures of monkshood that I see (because I love blue flowers) but I won't plant them because they are one of the most toxic plants that exist. Same with Castor Bean.

Jim- I saw your posts last yr re:marigolds and was planning on adding them to my roses this year. I'm not a big marigold fan, but I am a rose fan and need all the help I can get out side of chemicals to ward off pests. That said, what variety did you use? Did you start them from seed?

mas_loves_roses1- Did you winter sow the seeds listed?

I appreciate everyone listing preferred rose companions!

Welcome to Organic Forum, Ann !! Thank you, Mas, for a fantastic shot of your companion plants, plus info. about 4 o'clock. Great discussion on toxic plants, Jim & Mas. Foxglove and Delphiniums are also poisonous ... Delphiniums are so pretty ... Giant blue cone .. I planted mine from seeds.

Thanks, Ann, for bringing up the topic of control pests without chemicals. I found an excellent link http://www.aogc.org/effpest.htm Here are some excerpts from that link:

4. Use water as a pesticide.
A study at Texas A&M University found that water sprays reduced aphids and spider mites by 70% to 90%.

5. Ring Your Seedlings.
An extremely effective pest control for young seedlings is a simple barrier made from cardboard such as toilet paper cylinders or paper towel tubes. Cut the tubes into small sections and place around your seedlings.

6. Plant a trap.
Just like people, insects have food preferences. Plant a few of their preferred foods away from your preferred foods and either sacrifice the plants you planted for the pests or smash those bugs as they eat. Beetles love radishes and Harlequin bugs love mustard. Put out a few squash plants in pots a few weeks before you set out your main crop and destroy all beetles there.

8. Mulch, Mulch, and Mulch.
Mulch preserves moisture, eliminates weeds, and keeps the soil surface cooler which benefits earthworms, microorganisms, and plant roots. Better yet, mulches repel and or confuse pests. Researchers have found that the Colorado Potato Beetle has a much harder time zeroing in on potato plants mulched with straw than on unmulched potato plants.

9. Bring in the Beneficials.
Harmful insects only account for approximately 1% to 2% of the insect population. Allow the good bugs to do the dirty work for you. Encourage ladybugs, green lacewings, praying mantids, and wasps by planting an inviting habitat. The following plants produce lots of nectar and pollen to attract the good guys: Butterfly Weed, Clovers, Cilantro, Cosmos, Dill, Feverfew, Goldenrod, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Marigold, Mustard, Nasturtiums, Parsley, Queen Anne's Lace, Rose-Scented Geraniums, Spearmint, Sunflowerr, Sweet Alyssum, Sweet Fennel, Tansy, Thyme, White Sage and most wildflowers.

Thanks for all the pest control info, i've also heard planting certain things close to your roses like garlic, chives, thyme etc helps repel insect pests. Anyone have any experience with that?

Hi Blueisland: What a nice place you are from !!! Here in Chicagoland we still have lots of snow. I planted chives with purple flowers next to my roses ... didn't help with aphids nor spider mites. The best preventive measure is predatory and beneficial insects. I planted garlic chives ... this was more effective. But garlic chives is VERY INVASIVE, not worth it. Garlic chives makes yummy potstickers though.

Our winter was a total non-starter this year, about two weeks of cold weather and the last two months mostly warm enough to be outside without a coat gardening, loving it! Already transplanted a bunch of roses and other flowers and can't wait till it's warm enough to check out what's in the local nurseries this year.

It's whiteflies that seem to be the worst pest, just started getting them last year on some of my roses. Without much cold weather i'm afraid they will be really bad this year. Any ideas on getting rid of them?

annofpa zone 6b,

I used French Marigolds from a local greenhouse nursery...I'll try to find a pic... I used the larger yellow/reddish blooming Marigolds that's in the pic...

( Remember I'm still experimenting with Marigolds) First season I noticed hardly any Rose Slug damage at all to roses that had Marigolds planted around them. Same type of roses that did not have Maigolds planted around them had lots more Rose Slug damage.

So going to experiment more with them... I'll post results here on this forum throughout the year...

Whiteflies??? Marigold will not work for Whiteflies...

I'm glad to join in the experiment. It's one rose and now the rose beside it just seem to get attacked with these slugs/sawfly larvae and I hate to spray anything harmful and picking them off just doesn't seem to get ahead of the situation.

I read this article about using marigolds in the garden and they listed some varieties that aren't recommended, which is why I asked about your variety. Here's the link:

http://blackgold.bz/mighty-marigoldsmarigolds-for-organic-gardening/

I love all the suggestions for pest control. One of my worst pest, which I need to be watchful for right now, is rabbits. They don't bother the big roses but while the roses are still growing they are a total menace. They LOVE to 'prune' floribundas and polyanthas to the grown. I usually put down Liquid Fence for it.

This winter I did not start doing it fast enough. Many of my little roses have been pruned to the grown by the rabbits EXCEPT those that have thyme planted around them. I know that rabbits don't like aromatic plants, specially many herbs. This year I'll be planting a lot more thyme around the roses since it is hardy here and it stays green.

Hi blueisland: with regard to your question on getting rid of whiteflies, the secret is to use a dry, fluffy, NON-RETENTIVE material like perlite, worm-casting ON TOP of the soil. The problem with peat-based potting soil, or acidic clay is it retains water, plus the perfect pH for whiteflies to germinate.

Worm casting is drier, plus higher pH (alkaline), thus discourage germination of whiteflies. Here's a link: http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Worm-castings-solve-whitefly-infestation-2671663.php

Hi Mas: Thanks for the tip on thyme to control rabbits. I used a huge bottle of cheap curry powder, plus cheap cloves from an ethnic store, then sprinkled around rose bush .. no rabbits care to come. Clove is one of the ingredient in deer-deterrent, and curry powder is way-more effective than garlic powder and Irish Spring soap. Curry powder is both stinky and hot.

Thanks for the tip about the whiteflies, straw, I'll definitely try it. I have a couple of gardening friends who have been tearing out their hair in frustration over the whitefly infestations last year and they will be ecstatic if there is something organic that will work. Me Too!

For rabbits:

I place fencing around all our younger roses... (In a circle keeping it close to the rose bush) Even though the lower height (13 inches) of fencing worked here I'd recommend it being a bit higher...

I tried sprinkling alittle cat urine and fieces from our litter boxes around them but that did not work here.

Marigold sounds like a good idea! I'm gonna try it this year. I have daylilies and lavenders. Plan to expand lavender population to ward off Bambi, hopefully. Also have a few clematis to pair with ramblers.

I found insecticidal soap worked best for me on whiteflies. It's not toxic so I feel much more comfortable to apply it repeatedly. But you have to really disciplined to go out and spray when you start seeing them. I used a hand sprayer that make it easier to spray the underside of leaves. I tried home made soap recipe but it never worked as well as the commercial one for me. I got the concentrate and dilute according to the direction.

Safers insecticidal Soap works on Rose Slugs if applied per directions. I'll experiment more with the Marigolds and report my findings...(whether good or bad)...

i tried the insecticidal soap for whiteflies last year, hate to use even that as it isn't good for beneficial insects either but got desperate. It didn't seem to help much either although maybe i just didn't use it often enough.

I have little fences like that around my gardens to keep my dogs out. They seem to love to dig in the flower gardens and eat the vegies! I use doggy ex-pens, keeps out everything! I don't have deer or rabbits because of the dogs and i have cedar fences around the outside of the property so i'm lucky that way.

I'm too lazy to spray organically .. but thank you (Bloomcin) for the pic. of hand-soap sprayer ... and the info. that home-made soap recipe doesn't work.

The type of mulch can attract or repel insects. My 3 years of fluffy, ALKALINE pH 8, horse manure worked great ... no whiteflies, no rose slugs (sawfly larvae can't hatch in such dry & alkaline mulch). Then I stopped using horse manure .. and got rose-slugs both in my pots and in the ground. The horse manure varies ... I stopped using it, since the stable stopped liming their manure and switched from dry wood chips to wet straw.

Hmm...all this white flies talk has me worried. I have a hibiscus plant I overwinter indoors that is a magnet for white flies. I've tried organic and inorganic pesticides. Last year, it wasn't until I tried the granular 'kill everything' Bayer product that I finally got rid of them. Or course this year I have them again. Additionally, it has affected another potted plant. I hate to kill plants but should I just get rid of both plants to prevent the white flies from expanding into the roses in summer?

Straw, I'm going to try the curry and clove solution. good to know!

Jim, the rabbits don't go over your fence for tender growth?

No rabbits have not went over that 13" inch fence for tender growth. BUT they could so thats why I recommend a higher one...

Most of my fences are higher like 18 inches or so...

I'll let Straw answer your other questions about Whiteflies and your plants... We have no Whitefly problem here so my knowledge is 0...lol

I haven't had white flies problems outside but I don't want to be the culprit of adding it to the yard by hanging on to certain plants.

Talking about marigolds, do you buy the plants or do you start them from seeds? I love throwing their seeds where I want them because it is one of those seeds that I feel does not need much to sprout and bloom.

I buy them from our local greenhouse nursery. 4 plants for $1.49...Not sure if seeds are true to its Variety or not ? Or is that only in hybrids?

If I find these Marigolds consistently keep Rose Slugs away I'll collect seeds and send them to whoever wants them for free...

Jim, I am not certain. I grow them from seeds every year. It would be interesting to know if only one variety does the job of all of them?

Your offer is very generous, BTW. I've never tried to collect the seeds of marygolds.

I will grow some Marigolds from seeds and find out.. I collected seeds last year. I will buy my Marigolds at the greenhouse again just in case the seeds do not work out..lol

I'm a big fan of soft purple /lavender plants with my roses, especially those with spikey-soft flower clusters. they seem to go with everything and give some of my wide ranging rose beds some overall unity..

They are also lovely fillers for cut rose bouquets for the house...

I plan to add astilbe in a shade garden for that purpose as well...more soft spikes!

Annuals:

Angeloina

Purple salvia

Perennials/self sowers:

Homestead purple verbena

Bachelor buttons

Speedwell Veronica

Larger purple bushes:

Mexican sage bush

Russian sage

Lavender

--Adrianne

Thank you, Adrianne, for that list. I love blue/purple too. My favorite is Bachelor Buttons ... I killed many of my Russian Sage, they get too big and messy, plus they sprout babies all over.