1. Keep up your spray program for black spot and mildew. When the temperature drops below 70 degrees, start
watching for the telltale wrinkled new foliage and distorted bloom buds caused by mildew. It is best not to wait until the
new leaves turn white or you will be too late for prevention.
2. During the month of October we begin to notice tiny yellowish green bugs with black spots flying around which
have a shape similar to ladybugs. They are called Spotted Cucumber Beetles. And unlike ladybugs, which are beneficial,
they are very destructive. The insect is greenish yellow with a small head and has about eleven block spots on their back.
Cucumber Beetle’s diet are not restricted to just cucumbers, they feed on many other plants, even the rose. They really
like the light colored ones, chewing holes in the buds and blooms. Cucumber beetles are very difficult to control.
Spraying the blooms with Mavrik (¼ tsp per gallon of water) or with Sevin will help control them some. Some rosarians
keep a quart size hand sprayer filled with Orthene (now sold as��Ortho Systemic Insect Killer -��the main ingredient is
Acephate) and spray
the buds as soon as color can be seen.
3. The blooms should be misted every few days for better control. When the shows are over, stop cutting old blooms.
If you do cut, take short stems. Cutting blooms is just the same as pruning and encourages the bush to keep putting on
new growth when it should be going into dormancy.
4. Preparing the soil for future rose beds can be started now by digging in barnyard manure, pine needles, anything
of organic nature to provide decaying humus for better tilth in the soil. It is not too early to think about winter
protection. What do you plan to use? It may be a good idea to start gathering material to have ready if an early
freeze occurs.
5. Continue to water if needed. We may still have warm windy days that will dry the soil. Don’t let weeds to seed in
your rose beds. It will multiply your weed
problems next year if you let them seed themselves.
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