Once you have begun to provide for a proper nutritional environment, you must provide protection until balance has been regained. You can protect your roses from thrips, aphids and other pest attacks thru several different methods: Planting garlic at base of rose will deter pest attacks. Society garlic is also very effective. You can also make a garlic oil spray. Purchase garlic oil from your local grocery store. If they don't have garlic oil, buy garlic butter. Add 1 tablespoon to a quart water sprayer. Make sure to strain before pouring into sprayer to prevent clogging.

Another method you can use to control pests on your roses is to bury tobacco around the base of your roses. For best results take 1 cup dried tobacco (use only organically grown tobacco if possible), « cup garlic powder and mix into this 1 cup compost. Bury at base of rose by turning over into the soil. A better method and one which I prefer, is to get a small clay drain pipe (opened at both ends, about 3 inches wide, 12 inches long (smaller for roses, larger for trees) and bury that at the base of the rose bush or plant, level with the ground. Into this place the mixture TGC+™(equal amounts of organic tobacco, garlic powder, compost and the + stands for trace minerals such as rock dust). Use 1 lb per unit. On top of this place either a pretty rock or a nice clay pot to cover it, or simply mulch over, remembering where it is. This mixture should be replaced once per year or as often as needed.

You can also use pebbles as a mulch to cover it, just remember where it is. For this rose vent to be effective, there should be a drip head (2 gallons per hour) to allow water to pass thru it. The TGC+ will be absorbed by the rose, Ficus etc, and it will kill the thrips, aphids, etc., as they attack the rose leaves (anything that eats these leaves will die!). Tobacco and garlic are both absorbed into the plant, anything that attacks the plant will also get this mixture. The tobacco will kill any insect that attacks it. The Tobacco is very volatile and will biodegrade within 24 hrs if in liquid form; will last longer if it is in a dust or in its natural leaf state. Do not use tobacco on fruit trees. The garlic will change the taste of the plant confusing the bug.

Another spray formula to use to control thrips, aphids and most pests: add 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce, 1 tablespoon natural soap such as natural Peppermint Soap to a quart water spray bottle. This can be sprayed onto the leaves and around base of plants. It will repel and kill thrips, aphids, etc. You can alternatively add 1 tablespoon garden grade DE.

Diatomaceous Earth is a natural dust used to control crawling insects, beetles, ants, aphids, spiders, snails, etc. DE can be used in many ways. Can be added to water, strained and then sprayed. Use 10 tablespoons per gallon filtered water. DE can be made into a paste and then painted around the base of the roses to prevent caterpillars, snails, etc., from climbing up to eat the flowers. When using DE, you must be careful to avoid breathing or eye contact, due to its abrasiveness. Garden grade DE is perfectly safe (pool grade DE is dangerous) to use but it is a dust and should be handled with care. Wear a face mask when using and wash with water if it gets in your eye. Don't rub your eyes, remember DE is like thousands of tiny razor blades. Water will wash it away. For more information on DE see .

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I will be covering diseases and pests.