Thrips

~ By Grammy J. ~

If you have ever noticed that your rose bush leaves seem to shrink and curl up, you may have Thrips. Thrips are tiny little insects that scrape tissue from your flowers and leaves and then drink the juices.

With a Thrip infestation flowers and leaves won't open normally and they'll look twisted or stuck together. Although Thrips can't kill the bush, they will certainly steal its beauty.

Thrips usually appear in May but can be as early as March. Thrips breed quickly and seem to prefer white or lighter colored roses and gladiolus.

To check for Thrips shake a rose bud over a white piece of paper.  Thrips are tiny greenish-black bugs. They are difficult to control because they constantly move from plant to plant. Remove and destroy all infected buds and blooms.

You can use insecticidal sprays to get rid of Thrips, but I use a soap spray of five tablespoon of liquid Dial in a gallon of water for seven days in a row. The soap will kill the bugs on the plant on contact, but it takes 5 to 7 days before they are gone because they spend a lot of time down in the soil hiding and will just keep coming out and attacking.

For the first two days, spray first thing in the morning and again in the evening. The third through seventh day spray only in the evenings. By day seven, you will see no bugs. The soap can "burn" the plants (as any insecticide can) if used during the hot part of the day.

         

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