Lawns and Gardens
Growing Beautiful Roses and Flowers: It's Never Been Easier
By Lance Walheim
Sep 20, 2005, 22:04

(NUI) - Growing beautiful roses and flowers has never been easier, thanks to newer, heartier varieties. But every gardener runs into disease and insect problems. Here are a few of the major troublemakers:

* Black spot. This disease thrives in warm, humid weather. It causes small yellow spots that become black spots on the leaves. In severe cases, roses can be defoliated. Planting disease-resistant varieties and keeping foliage dry helps prevent black spot.

* Powdery mildew. Known for its distinctive grayish-white coloring, powdery mildew distorts flower buds and leaves.

* Rust. Rust causes small, orange pustules to form on the undersides of leaves and yellow spots to appear on the tops. Severe rust can cause the plant to lose all its leaves.

* Aphids. These small, pear-shaped insects feed on new leaves and flower buds and damage or destroy flowers. Aphids come in many colors and secrete a sticky, sugary substance called honeydew that turns black as it becomes infected with sooty mold.

* Beetles. Japanese beetles, June beetles and rose chafers chew holes in flower petals and skeletonize leaves.

* Thrips. These insects feed on rose petals, causing them to be deformed and discolored. Severely infested buds usually fail to open properly.

How do you prevent diseases and insects from killing your roses and flowers? Bayer Advanced Garden All-in-one Rose & Flower Care is an easy, one-step solution. It's the only product on the market that provides systemic protection against both insects and diseases. It even provides a fertilizer for strong roots and blooms. One application provides six weeks of protection. Just mix in a bucket or watering can and pour around the base of the plant.

You can learn more about caring for your lawn and garden and about discounts on various Bayer Advanced products by visiting www.bayeradvanced.com or by calling 1-877-BAYERAG.

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