Chapter 8.

Rose Production

8.1. Types of roses Varieties

There are different classes of roses according to the type of flowers they bear:

(A) Hybrid Tea

This is the most important class of roses. The flower buds of this class are longer and look
beautiful. The flowers of this class are slow opening and hence can be kept in vases for a longer
time. The flower spikes are also longer. Flowers of wide range of colors are available in this
class but red, orange, yellow and some other dark colors are more preferred in the market.

Red: First Red, Avon, Happiness, Mr. Lincoln, Raktagandha, Black Lady, Montezuma, etc.
Yellow: Aalsmeer Gold, Gold Medal, Golden Star, Golden Time, Yellow Success, Pusa Sonia
Orange: Super Star, Summer Hoilday, President and Grand Gala

Bi-colour: Anvil Spark, Mudhosh, Double Delight, Supriya, Abhisarika, Kiss of Fire, Tata
Centenary.

Scented: Avon, Granda, Papa Meilland, Blue Perfume, Eiffel Tower, Oklahoma.

(B) Floribunda

There is profuse flowering in this class of roses but the flowers shed soon. That’s why this class
of roses is largely used for decoration and bedding purpose. The important varieties under this
class are as follows:

White: Iceberg, Summer Snow, Margette Maril, Chitchor, Chandrama

Pink: Prema, Sadabahar, King Arthur, Bridal Pink

Yellow: Arthur Bell, Dr. Foun, Allgold, Sea Pearl, Golden Times

Mauve: Neelambari, Angel Face, Africa Star

Orange: Doris Norman, Suryakiran, Jorina, Jambra

Bi-colour: Charisma, Mask Red, Paint Box, Nav Sadabahar, Red Gold, Rare Addition

Scented: Angel Face, Delhi Princess

(C) Polyantha

The rose plants of this class are small and the flowers come in cluster. The main varieties of this
class are Anjani, Rashmi, Nartaki, Priti, Swati, etc.

(D) Miniature

The roses of this class are dwarf in stature and the twigs and the leaves are also small. The
flowers of this class are used in flower arrangement:

Red: Beauty Secret, Dark Beauty, Fast Fire

White: Green Ice, Z-Trail, Aany

Pink:Windy City, Sweet Fairy, Dizzler

Yellow: Baby Gold Star, Kale Gold, Delhi Star Late

Mauve: Silver Tip, Blue Bird

Orange: Angel Ripyance, Petayit Foly

Bi-colour: Star and Strip, Jainy Williums, Over the Rainbow

(E) Climber

The branches of these roses are soft and spread like climber. They flower at the end of the
branches in small clusters. They are used for rising over the pergolas and the walls. The
important varieties are as follows:

Red: Climbing Crimson Glory, Blaze, Cocktail, Black Boy

White: Delhi White Pearl, Shelderer White, Rambler, American Pear, Lamark

Pink: Climbing Show Girl, Lady Water Loo, Climbing of Silk, Soft Silk, Climbing Piece, Pink
Meradan Lemon: Miracle Neel, All Gold, Golden Shower, High Moon

8.2. Basics of rose production

Rose (Rosa hybrida) is belongs to the family of Rosaceae and locally named as “Rose”. It is also
mentioned in the Bible and is believed to be known before the Bible era. According to
archaeological findings, the Palestinians cultivated roses before the birth of Christ. It is the
national flower of England, and some American States adopted rose as their emblem. Roses are
being cultivated from ancient times in France, Cyprus, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Morocco, USA
and Bulgaria for production of perfume. It is assumed that some of the important rose species
were hybridized in nature and the present day improved forms have been evolved/small over
centuries. In fact, Crimson China Rose is considered as the father of modern roses. In the early
nineteenth century itself, one or two hybrids closely allied to R. chinensis were introduced to
Europe from China.

8.3. Rose propagation

 Preparation of Field

Beds are prepared for the cultivation of roses. If the soil is light and proper drainage is there, the
planting can be done even without making beds but if the soil is heavy and proper drainage is not
there, raised beds (40 cm above the ground) should be prepared. Pits must be dug before the
onset of rain so that the soil may settle down. Pits of 20-30 cm wide & 30 cm deep should be
prepared and likewise the beds should be prepared. Care should be taken that the top soil should
remain on the top.

 Commercial method of propagation is by cutting and budding.

A) Cutting

Scented roses are mainly propagated through cuttings. Hard wood Cuttings in case of polyanthas,
climbers, ramblers and soft or semi hardwood cuttings for miniatures are used. Cuttings are
collected from healthier plants with 15-20 cm length and 3-4 nodes. Cuttings are treated with
IAA, BA 100ppm. Cuttings are planted in mist chamber for easy and quicker rooting.

B) Budding

Hybrid and Floribunda roses mainly propagated through budding. ‘T’ budding is the common
method. Root stocks used are R. multiflora (Briar root stock), R. indica var. odorata, R.
bourboniana, R. laxa, R. canina and R. noisettiana.

When a rose plant comes into flower small swellings are visible between the stem and stalk of
the leaf. Select the eyes which are plump and not started to elongate and grow. Cut off the
portions of the branch with the eyes selected is called as 'bud wood' with a budding knife remove
a shield shaped piece of the bark and the eye. The Root stock should be kept ready by cutting the
branches and side shoots which are not required. Make a sharp horizontal cut at a suitable height
in the stock and then make a vertical ' T ' shaped cut in the stem of the stock. The 'eye 'should
point towards the top and is tied with fiber.

8.4. Production requirements of roses

 Preparation of beds and pits

The beds or pits for planting are prepared at least a month before the date of planting. The
preparation of beds may be taken up during May or June so that the soil gets a thorough exposure
to sun and air, and during the rainy season it gets a chance to settle down before planting. The
beds are prepared to a depth of 60-75 cm and a trench of 45-60 cm across is dug to 30 cm depth.
The trench is again dug and forked. While forking a basketful of well-rotten cow dung manure
and a double handful of bone meal may be mixed in the soil.

If the soil of the bed is heavy clay with poor drainage, the beds are raised to a level of 5 - 10 cm
above the ground. To improve the heavy clay soil, hydrated lime @ 1.5 kg/sq.m is forked 30 cm
deep into the soil at the bottom of the bed. Gypsum @ ½ kg /sq.m can also be applied. If the soil
is light or sandy, plenty of compost or FYM can be added to improve the water-holding capacity.
Pits of size 45 cm 3 can be dug while planting in pits.

 Season

Planting can be avoided during hot summer and heavy rains. In plains roses can be best planted
during Sep-Oct after the cessation of the rains. In hills, planting fan be done during Oct-Nov/
Feb-Mar. depending upon the temperature but the former season is more suited.

 Spacing

For,

 Cut flower production – 60 x 30 cm

 Oil extraction – 2.5 x 0.5 m
 Vigorously growing cultivars. 60 x 75 cm / 75 x 75 cm
 Polyanthas – 45 cm
 Miniatures – 30 cm
  Climbing types – 3 m
 Selecting plants

Plants may be pruned lightly by removing the suckers and the dead, unhealthy and diseased
twigs. Plants selected for planting should have at least three strong canes.

 Planting

Before planting, the top 30 cm soil from the pits should be removed. The plant along with the
earth ball may be gently lowered into the pit, keeping the main stem in the center of the pit. The
bud union point where the scion joins the stock is kept just above the ground level. Generally, in
temperate countries the bud union point is kept below the ground level. While planting it is
necessary to spread out the roots evenly. The soil is returned to the pit and firmed towards the
center. The plant must be watered copiously immediately after planting.

 After care

The newly planted roses require frequent watering in the beginning. After that they may be
watered once in five days during summer, and once in ten days during winter. If the soil is sandy,
more frequent watering may be necessary. On the other hand if the soil is heavy and retentive of
moisture the watering interval may have to be increased. Care should be taken to avoid ‘wet
feet’, i.e. to avoid stagnation of water too long in the beds or near the base of the plants as it is
harmful to the roots. Suckers originating from the root stock must be removed frequently to
prevent the loss of vigor of the plants.

8.5. Irrigation system

Flood irrigation is given at 10 days interval depends upon the soil and climate. Avoid irrigation
immediately before and after pruning.

8.6. Disbudding and pruning

 Disbudding

Standard varieties are those with one flower on each stem. But as nearly all varieties produce
some side buds below the center bud. These side buds have to be removed. The removal of these
buds is known as disbudding. It should not be done too early or too late. If done too early it may
harm leaves and if done too late than large wounds in the upper leaf axil can take place. When
bud attains Pea size and shows slight color then it is the right time to do disbudding.

For most spary varieties, the center crown bud is to be removed. Disbudding is generally done on
weak stems so that it can convert itself to think stem and in future cuts can be taken .Thick stem
produces strong sprouts where as thin stem gives out weak sprouts.

 Pruning

Pruning is the removal of unwanted and unproductive portions of the plant and makes the plant
more vigorous and productive.

Objective of pruning

• Remove the unproductive shoots

• Improve the quality of blooms

• Bush in desired shape and size

• Open up the bush to penetrate sun light

• Rejuvenate the old plants

• Facilitate cultural operations

How to prune

• Remove dead, diseased or damaged wood.

• Remove branches that grow towards the center of the plant

• Remove the weakest crossed branch and sucker growth (growth coming from below the bud
union)

• Shape the plant

• Make a cut at 45 degree angle ¼ inch above an outward facing bud.

  Time of pruning

Exactly 45 days prior to the date of requirement of flowers during October-December. Pruning is
necessary when the yield and quality declines.

 Methods of pruning

1st Year: Cut back the shoots to four developed buds remain. Allow the lateral shoots.

2nd Year: Retain all strong shoots and remove weak and diseased shoots. Cut back the strong
shoots to 4-5 buds.

3rd Year: Cut back vigorous shoot to half of its growth.

 Rejuvenation

After 5-6 years the plants are to be rejuvenated. Cut back all the main branches at 15-20 cm from
the base. Apply Bordeaux paste over cut ends to prevent diseases.

 Pinching

Removal of unwanted vegetative growth from the axil of the leaf below the terminal bud is
called pinching. Apical portion of shoot if removed early, a large number of axillary shoots arise
resulting in well-shaped bushy plants bearing more number of uniform flowers. The removal of
shoot apices 40 days after transplanting enhances the flower yield. This helps to get good quality
flowers and buds and avoids wastage of energy in the development of auxiliary bud f done at the
right stage and right time. It leads to avoids apical dominance.

 Bending

Bending helps in maintaining enough leaf area on the plants. The maximum leaf area is required
to build up a strong root system. Leaves are important for producing carbohydrates. The growing
suckers should be removed in order to check new growth on the bent stem. The buds should be
removed from the bent stem in order to check the incidence of thrips and bud rot (botrytis).Only
weak and blind shoot are selected for bending. Bending breaks the apical dominance of the plant.
It is a continuous process and hence carried out throughout life cycle. Bending should be such
that the most of the stems lay below horizontal. In summer season it provides a favorable
condition for mites incidence. Bending is done 1st or 2nd five pairs of leaves. While bending the
stems, the care should be taken that the stem will not break and the leaves will not touch the soil
on the bud.

8.7. Nutrition and spray

 Manuring

After pruning basins formed around the plant sand manures are applied 10-15 cm depth.

• 6:6:12 g NPK/plant - Edward and Red rose

• 8:8:16 g NPK/plant - HT/Polyanthas/FB

Application in 3 stages

1. 15 DAP

2. after first flush of bloom

3. After second flush of bloom

• Dose/plant - FYM 10 kg, Urea 65 g, Super phosphate 25 g, MOP 50 g

• Foliar feeding - micro-nutrients - 20 g MnSO4+ 15 g MgSO4+ 10 g FeSO4+ 5 g Boron @ 2g/l

of water results in bright colored flowers.

• Organic manures- oil cakes and bone meal are excellent sources of N and P respectively and
may be applied after pruning.

Plant Growth Regulators

 GA 3@ 250 ppm sprayed during the flushing if found very effective to,
 Increase the length of the stem/shoot
 Increases the no. of shoots/plant
 Induces early flowering
 Prolongs the flowering period
 Enhance the flower yield
 CCC @ 3% results in more no. of buds and also,
 Increase the flowering and size
  Increase the yield.

8.8. Harvesting

Flowering starts from 1st year onwards. Economic yield 2nd to 10th year. it should be done in
early morning hours or late evenings to reduce the transpiration water loss. A sharp knife or
scissor is important for cutting the stem. Harvesting is done at different stages depending upon
the purpose for which it is harvested.

 Cut flowers for local market: The flowers are harvested when the outer petals start
curling outwards.
 Cut flowers for distant markets: It is harvested at the tight bud stage with buds showing
full but petals not unfolded.
 Loose flowers: It is harvested when it is opened fully.

8.9. Post-harvest handling of rose

As soon as the flowers are harvested, the stems are harvested the stems are lowered in to clean
buckets containing water with preservative. The flowers are then cooled down to 2 - 4 0 C for 5-6
hours. The flowers are graded according to the length of the flower stalk. It varies from 40-
110cm depending on the variety and packed 20 per bunch.

8.10. Quality parameters

 Presentation – Flowers which are budding or beginning to open must have reached a
uniform stage of development in any one variety in any one unit of presentation
 Packaging – Packaging must protect the produce adequately. Paper or other materials in
direct contact with the cut flowers must be new. Printed newspaper may, however, be
used provided that it is not in direct contact with the flower.
 Uniformity – Each unit of presentation (bunch, bouquet, box and the like) must contain
flowers of the same genus, species or variety (cultivar) and of the same quality class, and
must have reached a uniform stage of development.
 Whole (although signs of disbudding and removal of leaves and thorns from the lower
third of the stem are permitted provided they do not affect the commercial appearance or
the presentation)
  Stems must be straight, rigid, strong and single, with healthy leaves.
 Fresh
 Normally formed
 Free of animal parasites
 Free of frost damage
 Free of obviously “chlorotic” leaves.

8.11. Physiological disorders

Physiological plant disorders: Physiological plant disorders are caused by non-pathological

conditions such as poor light, adverse weather, water-logging, phytotoxic compounds or a lack of
nutrients, and affect the functioning of the plant system.

Blind shoots:

Blind shoot may be defined as a stem that fails to develop a bud. It is a non-flowering growth
that must be removed to enable the plant to expend its energy on creating flowers rather than
foliage. Low photosynthetic accumulation rate results in up to 57% of shoots developing into
blind shoots. In a study on effect of day temperature on occurrence of blind shoots, it was found
that temperature lower than 15oC increased number of blind shoots.

Remedies:

Blind shoot can be reduced by bending over technique. Compared with vase-shaped rose plants,
trellised roses are found to reduce percentage of blind shoots. These blind shoots pinched back
hard by 1 or 2 nodes in November resulted in production of flowering stems. Lighting with
sodium lamps is also found to decrease the number of blind shoots significantly. Co2 enrichment
to a level of 1000 p.p.m. from November to February is helpful in reducing blind shoots. Foliar
spray of ascorbic acid at 1000 ppm also reduces blind shoots production.

Bent neck:

Bent neck is a physiological disorder characterized by the bending of stems of cut rose flowers
after harvesting and is an important factor in determining postharvest quality. Bent neck results
from a variety of reasons like, too soft growth, premature bud harvest and excessive water loss
during handling. Exposure to high temperature, low humidity, ethylene, high microbial growth
and incorrect use of floral preservatives also cause bent neck of flowers. As the water is lost
through stomatas, therefore lower one-third of the leaves should be removed from the flowers
stems. The flowers exhibiting bent neck or premature cutting should be recut under water and
submerged in warm water for few hours.

Remedies:

Use of 200 ppm cobalt nitrate along with 10% sucrose in floral preservative at pH 6.0 is found
very effective in controlling bent neck. Some varieties show more incidence of bent neck, e.g.
Red Velvet and Sonia, whereas, neck strength of cvs. First red and Saphir is more. It is observed
that changes in K/Ca ratio have no differential effect on incidence of bent neck. In a study on cut
roses it was found that fumigation with methyl bromide at 500C reduces the incidence of bent
neck.

Bull head:

Bull head is also a common physiological disorder in roses observed mainly in low temperature
during night. It occurs due to abnormal production of cytokinins and gibberellins, the hormones
responsible for cell elongation and stem elongation.

Balling: The inability of a bud to open into a bloom due to excess moisture causing the petals to
stick together is called balling. It usually occurs in areas with cool, damp nights. Roses with
many petals are more susceptible to balling.

8.12. Pests and diseases

Fungal Diseases

Black Spot (caused by the fungus Diplocarpon roase)

Black spot is a serious disease of rose plants. It is characterized by circular black spots on leaves.
The spots are distinguished from other leaf spot diseases by the fringed margins and consistently
black color of the spots. The spots vary in size from a 1/2 inch or more than one inch in diameter.
Spots may merge to produce large irregular lesions. Yellowing often occurs over the entire leaf,
but it may develop only around the spots. When plants are badly infected, leaves drop
prematurely and canes may become completely defoliated, thereby reducing the quantity of the
flowers and eventually killing the plant.
Warm, wet weather favors the spread of pathogens. Spores of the fungus are spread mainly by
splashing water or rain. They germinate in water and infection takes place only when water
remains on the leaves for periods of six hours or longer.

Control

1. Remove and destroy infected leaves during the season; remove infected twigs when pruning.

2. Avoid overhead watering.

3. Plant roses in an area with good soil drainage and ventilation. Avoid shady spots and dense
plantings.

4. Prune out old and diseased canes in the fall or winter.

5. Mulch soil around plants and improve pH if necessary.

6. Use Disease resistance cultivars

7. For chemical control on disease-susceptible cultivars, use fungicides. It is important that

weekly fungicide applications begin with new growth in the spring and continue until frost in the
fall. Sprays may be omitted during hot, dry periods in the summer.

Powdery Mildew (caused by the fungus Sphaerotheca pannosa)

Powdery mildew is one of the most widely distributed and common diseases of roses. Unlike
many foliar diseases, it may be serious in dry climates as well as in humid regions. It develops
over a wide range of temperatures.

Powdery mildew produces a powdery, whitish coating on the leaves and other plant parts. In
severe cases, plants may become stunted, leaves may curl, become dried, and drop. Unopened
buds, young stems, and thorns may be entirely overgrown with the powdery coating. Only in
very rare cases does death of the plant result from infection.

Generally, the most favorable conditions for powdery mildew infection are as follows: daytime
temperature near 80 F (27 C) and a relative humidity of 97 percent to 100 percent. These
conditions prevail during most of the early part of the growing season, thus fungicide
applications must be made on a regular basis. In irrigated landscapes, relative humidity may
remain high in the humidity throughout the growing season, so powdery mildew may continue to
be a problem.

Control

Maintain proper plant spacing to allow for air circulation through the canopy. Thin plants as
needed. Fungicides can be sprayed preventatively when moderate temperature and high humidity
is expected, usually in the spring. At the first evidence of disease, fungicides should be applied
on a weekly basis until dry weather returns. To avoid making repeated fungicide applications.

Stem Cankers of Roses

Several species of fungi cause cankers (sunken, swollen or broken areas) on rose canes. Cankers
usually appear as discolored areas on dead and dying canes and vary in color from light tan to a
dark purplish brown. The causal fungi enter healthy canes through wounds caused by improper
pruning, flower cutting, wind, hail damage, winter injury, and cultivation injury. Once the fungal
pathogen has entered the plant, the canker may grow and eventually girdle the stem causing a
dieback of the cane and, upon reaching the crown, may destroy other canes or the entire plant.

Control

1. Maintain plants in a vigorous growing condition

2. Prune out and burn all infected portions of canes. Make cuts well back of the cankered area
and about 1/4 inch above an outward facing bud and slanted away from the bud at a 45-degree
angle.

3. Disinfect pruning tools after use on a diseased plant.

4. Avoid injury when cultivating and transplanting.

5. A good black spot fungicide spray program will aid in controlling most stem cankers.

Botrytis Blight (caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea)

Botrytis blight affects many types of roses. The disease prevents blooms from opening as it
causes a brown decay. Sometimes partially opened flowers are attacked, and the individual petals
turn brown and shrivel. The fungus is always present in rainy seasons when old flowers are not
removed. The fungus also lives in winter-killed canes.

Control

Destroy old blooms and dead canes to remove as much fungal inoculum as possible. This fungus
will be controlled if a good black spot spray program is followed. Thinning plants to improve air
circulation through the canopy is helpful.

Bacterial Diseases

Crown Gall (caused by the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens)

Crown gall is characterized by formation of outgrowths (galls) which vary in form and size. At
first, the galls are very small with rounded outgrowths on the plant surface. Development
continues and the galls may become several inches in diameter. Galls can also occur on roots and
occasionally on aerial parts of rose plants.

Control

1. Transplant only disease-free plants.

2. Avoid wounding during transplanting.

3. Remove infected plants or plant parts as soon as galls are observed. Where possible, remove
and discard all soil adjacent to the root system and replace with sterile soil to prevent
reintroduction of the bacteria.

4. Disinfect pruning and cutting tools frequently. Dipping in a 10 percent dilution of household
bleach (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) for several minutes will effectively disinfect cutting tools.
This should be done immediately after pruning out a gall or abnormal growth.

5. During cultivation (weeding) of roses, do not injure roots or crown area.

6. If possible, wait one to two years before replanting broad-leafed plants into the same location.

Virus Diseases

Like all vegetative propagated plants, roses are subject to infection by virus pathogens that are
spread during propagation or feeding by arthropods. Diseased plants tend to be less vigorous and
less likely to survive than healthy plants, and diseases often detract from the aesthetic quality of
plants.

Rose mosaic

Rose mosaic is found virtually everywhere roses are grown and can be recognized by light green
to bright yellow mosaic patterns on leaves of infected plants. Symptoms of rose rosette disease
include leaflet deformation and wrinkling, bright red leaf pigmentation, witches brooming, and
phyllody (conversion of flower parts to a leaf-like appearance). Rose rosette is a second serious
virus disease of roses.

Control

There is no known practical cure for diseases caused by viruses once infection has occurred.
Infection with rose mosaic does not sufficiently damage plants to necessitate their immediate
removal. However, all plants with significant symptoms caused by viruses should be removed
from the nursery or landscape and destroyed. The best control for virus diseases is to use only
pathogen-free buds and rootstocks during propagation.

Accidental herbicide damage sometimes resembles symptoms of virus infection. To avoid

possible herbicide injury, it is better to apply herbicides during fall rather than in the spring. Do
not spray herbicides during windy periods and consider shielding plants to prevent accidental
drift.

Pests of rose

Aphids

Aphids are the most common insect pests on roses. Species include the rose aphid, Macrosiphum
rosae, the potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, and the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, among
others.

Aphids favor rapidly growing tissue such as buds and shoots. Low to moderate levels of aphids
do little damage to plants, although some gardeners may be concerned by their very presence.
Moderate to high populations can secrete copious amounts of honeydew, resulting in the growth
of sooty mold, which blackens leaves. Very high numbers of aphids may distort or kill buds or
reduce flower size.

In most areas of California aphids are only considered a major problem for about 6 weeks in
spring and early summer before high summer temperatures reduce their numbers.

Aphids have many natural enemies including parasitic wasps, lady beetles, soldier beetles, and
syrphid flies that may rapidly reduce increasing populations. Ants protect aphids from natural
enemies, so keeping them out of bushes with sticky barriers, baits, or traps may improve
biological control.

Lady beetles often increase in number when aphid populations are high. The convergent lady
beetle is sold at nurseries for release against aphids and may provide limited control when
properly released. Releasing green lacewings against the rose aphid has not been shown to offer
significant control in research trials. A naturally occurring fungal disease may control aphids
when conditions are wet or humid.

In many landscape situations, knocking aphids off with a forceful stream or spray of water early
in the day is all that is needed to supplement natural control. Insecticidal soaps or horticultural
oils (including neem oil) can also be used to suppress aphids with only moderate impact on
natural enemies.

Soil-applied systemic insecticides, such as the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, are effective but are
not usually necessary and may harm pollinators and natural enemies. Use of broadly toxic
insecticides is not warranted in most gardens and landscapes.

Spider mites

Spider mites, including twospotted spider mite, Pacific spider mite, and strawberry spider mite,
all in the genus Tetranychus, feed on foliage, causing leaves to become stippled or bleached, and
may cause leaves to dry up and fall. Some species produce webbing while others do not. Spider
mites are tiny (about the size of the period at the end of this sentence) and are best seen with a
magnifier.

Mites usually appear first on the undersides of leaves but may move to the upper surfaces as
populations increase. High numbers are usually associated with dry, dusty conditions.
Spider mite numbers may greatly increase if their many natural enemies are killed by broad-
spectrum insecticides applied against other pests. For instance, applications of carbaryl* or
pyrethroid insecticides (such as cyfluthrin and permethrin) to control insect pests are frequently
followed by an increase in mite populations.

Conserving natural enemies, providing sufficient irrigation, and reducing dust all help control
mites. Overhead irrigation or periodic washing of leaves with water can be very effective in
reducing mite numbers.

If chemical treatment is necessary, spider mites can be controlled with insecticidal soap or
horticultural oil, and sprays should be targeted to ensure coverage of the undersides of the leaves.
Although spider mites may be listed on many insecticide labels, most insecticides are not very
effective against them and can actually trigger mite flare-ups as mentioned above.

Rose leafhopper, Edwardsiana rosae, causes stippling damage that appears larger than mite
stippling. Along with stippling, cast skins and the absence of webbing on the underside of leaves
are good indications that leafhoppers are present. Leafhoppers are not common problems in most
areas; be sure to check for the insects themselves if suspect stippling is observed. Plants can
tolerate moderate stippling. Knock leafhoppers off with a water spray or use an insecticidal soap
on nymphs if an infestation is severe.

Thrips. Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, and madrone thrips, Thripsmadroni,
primarily cause injury to rose flowers, causing blossom petals to streak with brown or become
distorted. Damage may be severe if flowers are attacked early at the bud stage. The tiny yellow
or black thrips insects can be found within the blossoms.

Thrips problems are more likely to be severe where many rose plants grown close together
provide a continuously blooming habitat. Fragrant, light-colored, and white roses are most often
attacked and can be severely damaged. Cultivars with sepals that remain tightly wrapped around
the bud until blooms open have fewer thrips problems.

In most home garden and landscape situations, thrips can be tolerated. Frequent clipping and
prompt disposal of spent blooms may reduce thrips problems. Control with insecticides is
difficult because products are most effective on developing thrips, which usually feed deep
within buds or flowers where pesticide applications cannot reach.