How do I manage insect care in roses during the fall?Updated 3 months ago

Normally, we don't see as many insects in the garden in the fall because the weather cools and their reproductive rate slows, but a warm fall can extend their life cycles longer into the growing season. If you're experiencing a warm fall too, it might be a good time to revisit monitoring for insects that you typically may see in the spring and summer.

Even though the weather is cooling down (or should be!), it's good practice to still monitor your roses weekly for any pesky insects. Take a peek inside those buds, gently pull apart the petals, turn over and look under the leaves and give the leaves a good look with a hand lens for those tiny hard to spot little guys. (Sidebar - A quality hand lens is one of the best investments you can make for your garden. If you don't already own one, we highly recommend getting it. Many insect infestations go unnoticed because pests are too small to be seen with the naked eye, making early identification with a lens crucial.)

If you find any uninvited guests and you aren't sure what they are, snap a quick photo, grab a sample to share with your local agricultural extension office or Master Gardeners for help or submit it to Felicia for our weekly newsletter Q & A. Here's a great online resource too from the University of California Cooperative Extension for insect identification garden roses.

Here are our top three pests to watch for this fall, along with some simple treatment recommendations. Remember to follow the package directions for product application rate and always use personal protective equipment when necessary (PPE) to keep yourself safe when applying chemicals:

• Aphids: Leave the chemicals behind. Honestly the best treatment (trust me I've tried them all!) for aphids is to spray them off with a strong stream of water from your garden hose or squish them with your fingers. PRO TIP: If you have little kids they LOVE to play the squish the aphids game!
• Thrips: Treat with a Spinosad based organic product like Monterey Garden Insect Care or Conserve SC.
• Spider Mites: Spray with water (especially the undersides of leaves), apply a treatment of Avid or an organic spray of Azadirachtin/Pyrethrin blend.

Timing is everything! Be sure to apply any treatments when it's cooler, like the early morning or late evening, when pollinators are less active. A little check-in weekly with your roses will help keep the pests at bay this fall so you'll have beautiful healthy plants  - and even blooms for you warm climate growers - into November.