In my small front garden, I have one outstanding climbing rose, Zephirine Drouhin. It is thornless and fragrant, with beautiful cerise double blooms, and has been very prolific for 10 years. For the past four, I have been battling the beetles, and while I found milky spore to be somewhat effective, some beetles still have to be removed manually to mitigate their damage. This can become time consuming at their peak.
I came across this solution, and wanted to share, because I would rather not apply chemicals that can kill good insects.
Apparently, beetles do not like the smell of their dead and decaying relatives. Save a few small jars, puncture their lids (not for the purpose of saving the beetles' lives!), and begin collecting as many of these buzzing pests as you can. Fill the jars halfway with water, place under your rose bushes, preferably out of full sun so the h2o doesn't evaporate quickly and can be replenished by rainwater when it does. If it is unsightly to leave above ground, it could be partially buried with the lid exposed. The ensuing decaying beetle broth (which I could not detect) will repel new arrivals and give your roses a healthier future. Naturally, there will be exceptions, so keep a few empty jars on hand to add to the collection.
You can leave the jars out until the first frost, and then discard them, or thoroughly clean them for re-use.
Good luck. Let me know whether anyone has any level of success or additional thoughts! 🌻
Thread Title | Last Reply | Replies |
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Japanese Beetle Repellant by dq74 | Jul 16, 2022 1:42 PM | 0 |
Worth a try! by Sundownr | Jan 21, 2017 9:04 AM | 0 |
Untitled by ElsaMartell | Jul 9, 2016 12:21 AM | 0 |
Chemical-Free Japanese/Asian Beetle Control for Roses by cwhitt | Jun 20, 2016 3:32 PM | 11 |
This is the best method I have come across so far, coupled with milky spore. by HardscapesID | Jun 16, 2016 6:03 PM | 1 |
japanese Beetle control for my roses by trishannis | Jun 15, 2016 3:13 PM | 0 |