Materials:
Garden hose
Insecticidal soap
Spray bottle
Pruning shears1. The easiest method is to spray the aphids off the leaves using a garden hose. After spraying the plant, examine it thoroughly to ensure that you've covered all affected areas. Also, be sure to spray the plant early in the day so the water will have time to evaporate before the sun's heat intensifies. (Repeat daily or as needed.)
2. Another option is to use an insecticidal soap, which can be found at your local gardening-supply store or home-improvement center. Simply mix according to package directions and spray generously on the plant (figure A), making sure to spray the bottoms of the leaves as well as the tops. And again, spray early in the morning (or during the early evening hours) so the leaves won't be wet when they're in full sun.
3. When planting roses, you'll want to allow enough space between the plants to provide sufficient air circulation. As a general rule of thumb, 1-1/2' to 2' works for most varieties. (Some larger varieties may require a bit more.) Allowing this "breathing room" between the plants also prevents fungus on one plant from easily spreading to its neighbor.
4. As soon as you start shopping for your first rose or read your first book on roses, you'll realize that the number of rose varieties in existence is almost too large to comprehend. But don't be overwhelmed! You'll learn the basic differences between the main types soon enough.
For example, a floribunda rose is more of a shrub-type rose, generally boasting bunches of blooms as shown in figure B. A grandiflora rose is a taller, long-stem plant that's more of a "landscape" rose. Grandifloras grow with clusters of blooms on each cane as shown in figure C.
5. If you start to see small black spots on the leaves of your roses (figure D), don't be alarmed. Although this is a type of fungus (known, appropriately, as "black spot") it's easy to correct. Black spot is caused by the presence of moisture on the leaves when the sun is shining directly on the plant; it essentially "bakes" these spots onto the leaves. Prevent black spot by watering in the early morning or early evening hours; you'll also need to pull off and discard affected leaves as soon as they exhibit any black spot. 6. To cut roses for display, use sharp pruning shears to cut the stem at an angle just above a set of leaves (figure E). Cutting close to a set of leaves will prevent dead wood on the cane, which can make the rose vulnerable to disease.
7. Finally, keep in mind that roses need at least six hours of full sun a day. Without it, they simply won't thrive. But with sufficient sun, good soil, proper drainage and regular maintenance as outlined above, your roses will thrive for many years to come!
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