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Garden Gate:  Rose Bush Leaves Eaten by Caterpillars  |
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teacups
Farmgirl in Training
31 Posts
terri
bryans road
maryland
USA
31 Posts |
 Posted - May 17 2013 : 07:42:23 AM
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Last year I moved all my rose bushes from the front yard to the back yard. Our property backs up to the woods. I think I made a terrible mistake. The gypsy moths are terrible this year. I have never seen so many. Within 2 days they have eaten all the leaves off of my rose bushes. This has never happened before. Does anyone have any advice? I am wondering if they are going to get any buds now because I do not see any. I am also worried that they are going to kill the bushes. My silver maples have very few leaves left because they have eaten them. My whole back yard is infested with these caterpillars. Don't get me wrong, I think they are cute, and we love playing with them, but there has to be some boundaries.  |
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SheenaJean
Farmgirl in Training
27 Posts
Sheena
MT
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2013 : 10:04:43 AM
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Hi Terri,
I doubt moving the plants is the issue. It's not your fault! It is probably a boom year for the caterpillars. Have you tried any repellents? I know that you can make a garlic spray, and it is safe for roses. It is supposed to make the plant yucky for insects. My mom often uses a soap spray, but this kills the bugs usually. We had a few bad years of japanese beetles that would just decimate all of our plants (but they didn't like the zucchini, thank goodness!). Soapy water worked for them. It is worth a try! |
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MayFay
True Blue Farmgirl
73 Posts
Stephanie
MO
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2013 : 12:12:51 PM
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I had to look up a picture of what gypsy moth caterpillars are and discovered they are what's all over my plants this year, too. We also are backed-up on some woods. We picked a bunch of them off one of the rose bushes yesterday. I go out each morning to pick them off the plants (they're in my garden, too) and throw them in our large outside trash receptacle where the heat gets them in a few hours. We don't have them in numbers that hand-picking can't control, so the only hopeful thing I can tell you is that my rose bushes were annihilated by Japanese beetles a couple of summers ago but recovered enough to bear some blooms late that season. They are going strong now, fully recovered from that bad year.
Farmgirl Sister #5093 |
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teacups
Farmgirl in Training
31 Posts
terri
bryans road
maryland
USA
31 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2013 : 09:04:01 AM
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I hope that mine come back. They are free and clear of any caterpillars right now, but that is because they already ate every leaf. lol. Hungry little critters to have done it so quickly. I am praying they stay away from my veggie garden. I am spraying everything with garlic and soapy water. I feel bad, I know they need to eat, but they have plenty in the woods.
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Garden Gate: Rose Bush Leaves Eaten by Caterpillars |
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Rose Bush Leaves Eaten by Caterpillars
