On Tue, 5 May 2009 20:30:04 -0500, "Freckles"
wrote:


"David E. Ross" wrote in message
net...
On 5/4/2009 10:08 PM, Freckles wrote:
I would like to use a systemic pesticide on my roses.

I've heard systemic pesticides can be very dangerous.

I've tried several different sprays and am not satisfied with the
results.

Can anyone recommend a brand of systemic pesticide that is not so
dangerous
to humans and pets?

Thanks,

Freckles

I use Bayer's Rose & Flower Care, which combines fertilizer and
systemic insecticide in a dry granular form. Although I feed my roses
every month from March through October, I use this product only
every-other month to get excellent results. In the alternating months,
I feed my roses with ammonium sulfate.

You might instead consider using Bayer's 12 Month Tree & Shrub Insect
Control, which is a systemic applied as a soil drench. I used this very
successfully to control leaf miners on citrus. It is considered
non-toxic to vertebrates (humans, other mammals, birds, reptiles, fish,
etc) and is thus safe on edibles. It controls such rose pests as aphid
and white fly. I haven't tried this on my own roses. You might call
your local agricultural extension to ask about using it. I will be
calling my county's agricultural extension when I replace my peach tree
to determine if it will control flat-headed bark borers since Lindane is
no longer available. NOTE: 12 Month Tree & Shrub Insect Control can be
quite expensive; it cost over $20 to give one treatment each to a dwarf
lemon and a dwarf orange.


--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

Thanks for the information.

I just order some Bayer insect control plus fertilizer plant spikes which
seem to be just what I want.

I don't know anything about what you ordered, but I recently fed the
roses an "organic" food that my dog couldn't resist eating. I'm
thinking about re-applying, but I'll block off his access first.

Kate