The Garden Bug: Caring for roses

By Brenda Weaver

In drier climates, the gardener must regularly provide water for rose bushes. Though generally one should water only the soil around the bushes, sprinkling water directly onto the plants keeps the foliage and blooms clean, retards powdery mildew and repels some pests. Insects that like to feed on rose bushes include aphids, Japanese beetles, spider mites and sawflies. Most of these can be controlled with neem oil or insecticidal soap; if you plant alliums near your roses, they can help repel aphids.

Source: gardendesign.com, garden.org