There is no way to prevent beneficial insects from getting stuck to oiled cups...But its a very small number compared to bringing out the big guns...

I have not used oiled cups for an entire season because we get so much rain its a task to keep having to keep oil on them...So I can't answer this question...

I recently had Rose Midge take a long break but I have no idea as to why because I haven't done anything...lol... SO?

I'm a faithful cupper. Last year I was determined to have flowers. Put out two cups for each rose. When the wind blew I would move the cups so that the midge would be blown onto the cup. It worked really well. There are some good guys that were caught mainly thrips predators and parasitic wasps. Did not find any others.

This year the cups did not catch many midge. Do not know the reason perhaps there weren't as many. We had no rain last fall and very little this spring. I did catch a billion thrips. So many in fact that I thought perhaps the cups were attracting them.

For what it is worth, I put the cups out very early in spring. Then I take them down in the middle to end of June. By that time the roses are getting larger and walking becomes difficult at best. Not to mention the back that can no longer straighten up.

I can't estimate shoot damage there are too many for me to do that. I'm just happy that when I have a problem with a rose. I know if it is midge damage or not and have been having very good bloom and growth.

Patty,

Thanks for your input.

That stuck predatory mite either crawled there or was carried on the wind much like the mite does that transmits RRV to a new host rose. It is carried there by the wind they say. I wonder if it is merely accidental, due to a strong wind, or intentional on the mite's part. Does a hungry mite consciously leap into the wind in hopes of landing on a desirably mite infested rose, thereby finding fresh prey?

O.T. on mites traveling around airborne.... In keeping: chickens, pigeons, even hook bills and canaries (inside birds), parasites, particularly red mites, must be dealt with.

I have read that red mites can jump into the air, and land on you, then commence biting you. They actually suck blood, not bite you. I believe they are avian specific, and although they may extract blood, it is not the right kind to either nourish then properly, or ensure reproductive success...somewhat like a dog flea biting you.

I suspect that if this is true, a tiny mite may jump into the air, but after that I believe air currents carry them. I do not think they target or even choose their destination. I have kept all kinds of indoor and outdoor birds, and have had red mites with which to deal, but have never had a mite land on me, yet alone bite me.

I brought this up just to shed some light on how mites travel about.

O.T. again Patty, I see you are a Phlox paniculata aficionado. What do you think about 'Shortwood'? Is it the quintessential phlox? What are your top 5 favorite P. paniculata? Thank you!

Moses

Nice post Patty! Nice roses! I like to see blooms...:-)

Mosses my top favorite phlox are those that don't mildew or get bacterial spot. So for me it's the Candy Store series and Peacock White. I also like when they are somewhat smaller then the roses. Thou I have at one time or another had many varieties these are my remaining favorites. The big ones got hard to take care of and where always dropping seeds. I swear you could never get all of them and the next thing you'd see is mildew every where. The Candy Store series of phlox has never really given me any trouble. They really like their bagged soil and I never let the clump get to large. I like phlox so well because it loves my garden. Between the Candy Store series and Peacock White I have gotten some outstanding seedlings. I had Blushing Shortwood but it's not here now don't remember why.

Can I put a plug in one more, Phlox Forever Pink. I got 5 of them and all five mildewed in their first year. I'm so happy that I did not shovel prune them as I normally would have. They have never mildewed since. They used to only bloom for around a month in early summer. Since becoming established they have some blooms all the time. Not a lot but a spots of scented colors. The whole yard smells of glorious phlox from late April to November. Its like having a perpetual blooming lilac bush.

Patty,

I thank you, and my new niece, May, does, too. Her first P. paniculata, I don't remember its variety, grew magnificently this year, better than any other of her new perennials.

She is a young mother of two toddler girls, and an avid gardener, new to this country, coming from Thailand.

May loves her 40+ young rose bushes, and learned her first, very valuable lesson the hard way this year....black spot and midge fly cannot be ignored. Early on, I supplied her with all the organic items out there, but she failed to use them. Thinking, like youth often does, that those bad things happen to other people's roses, not mine, she found out otherwise.

You have been a tremendous help with your phlox recommendations, not to take precedence over all your other expert, rose enlightenments you have so generously shared with your Rose Forum friends.

Moses

Patty your garden looks wonderful!! Just gorgeous :)

Thanks Julie, thanks again for recommending Zaide and Mother of Pearl. They are both doing well for me and have very pretty foliage. Do you have any other gems hanging around? :-)

Patty I have to thank you too! I got South Africa (rock star!), Flamenco Rosita, Pompanella FT because you had recommended them and they've all done great. My new Florentina is taking off, came from Northland and has bloomed some for me already, so Pretty! I just ordered Siena Vigorosa from Palatine too. A couple of newer ones here that I like - Summer Memories (from Palatine) - constant bloom and shiny green leaves, ridiculously healthy all summer. Belinda's Blush, planted this spring from ARE, great bloom and looks good. Another newbie from Northland, Sven - I love the blooms and he's fragrant too. Should overwinter well, rated to Z4 I think. Some others are too new still.

Darn now what do I do? I have wanted to get Summer Memories for years and years. Just never heard much about it and was afraid to try it. Hmm, need to go think about this,

Some of my new favorites that I've all ready mentioned. Heart Song, healthy, prolific and short. At Last good grief she's a good one. Plum Perfect I've already said too much about this one. Princess Anne beautiful flower and bush. Fiji what a wonderful rose this turned out to be. Tequila Sunrise is prolific healthy and beautiful. All the Rage is beyond gorgeous. Used to have this one back when it first came out. So happy that I finally replaced it. Enough for now right.

I forgot your good words and photo of Kiss Me. What a flower and scent this one has. So the third time is suppose to be a charm right. Here's hoping she over winters for all of us.

Tequila Supreme not Sunrise :-)

Wasn't your Tequila Supreme your "Sticky" plant Patty? Glad it survived it's rough start. Wish I had ordered Heart Song, I was back and forth on it last spring. Hope Kiss Me is a keeper this time!

Dingo, Tequilla Supreme is little "Sticky". She's now 2x2 full of flowers. I've sprayed once a month with fungicide to get anthracnose under control. So can't truly say how healthy it is. It's petals have thick stiff substance and last about 3 weeks on the bush. Sunset colors for about two weeks. Then antique green pink for the rest of the time.

Patty- what do you mean by your "sticky" rose in ref to Tequila Supreme? Is she borderline hardy or disease prone? Both?

Sharon

Sharon sticky got her name when she came to me from Michigan Bulb. She was under 2in tall with no leaves sent to me in Feb. (2 months to early). She's a fighter and a really good rose. I definitely took a chance on this one.

Jasmine on here gets the credit for this one. But of course I'd never blame her if it did not work out. :-)

too funny but at least she's growing for you. Mine came from Fresh Garden Living this late spring. She's about a foot tall and close to that in width, very full and has flowered at least 6 times. She's rated z5 so hopefully will go through winter without a problem. I guess we'll both find out.

Sharon