Also, as another control type...that happened rather by accident...my boyfriend, at the time, had front row seats to my little gardening endeavor and he saw the size of the own roots when they were first shipped and felt that there was no way they would bloom for me that season, and so he went out to the local market and bought me a $5, grafted rose that was sure to bloom that season so that I would have roses. We affectionately called it the mystery rose since no one knew what it was at the store other than 'a rose bush'. (Picture below). I went out and bought another 15x15x30 pot and stuck it out on my patio to live or not live. ;)
Back to my own root rose living on the patio. For awhile it did seem to thrive better than the indoor ones. Then lo and behold one day some time later it seemed to be shriveling up and all but kicking the bucket. I was distressed. So I went in for closer inspection. Then I screamed, as my discovery yielded the realization that ants had traversed up three stories to come and eat my own-root rose!!!! It didn't take long to see they had told the whole colony or perhaps all the neighboring colonies too since there was a steady stream, or moving line, up the side of the building, around my rose and all over the dirt.
Out of curiosity, or horror, I went to inspect the mystery rose. Not one ant.
I dashed inside, and made the call to my favorite rose company in Oregon. They had never heard of such a thing as my problem.....yes, leave it to me to have unique problems ;).... but they had a fabulous recommendation for me to try.
Diatomaceous earth, the powder.
Huh, what, and can you repeat that was my response. Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard shelled algae. It is like a pumice powder that makes the exoskeletons of insects itch, or dehydrate at a rapid pace, and they leave like they are being chased by the hounds of h-e-_-_. You can buy it in food grade quality so that if you have pets who will inevitably taste test it, they will not be harmed. As I understand it there is a type of this stuff that can be used by vets to de-worm your furry family friend. (Consult a vet before taking matters into your own hands). There are also a variety of other uses for it.
What I can tell you is that this stuff works!!!! It will not hurt your flowers!!!
I had to go on a search for it...and trust me...most clerks in stores will not know, nor have they heard of this stuff. I heard plenty of, "DIE-AH-what??? Ummmm....." So my recommendation is to search for a garden nursery nearby and go in there and ask. My local nursery had it in a small bag for $12 or a 3lb box for $20. Let's just say, I hate ants, and so I went with the big box...and used it liberally....think confetti, at new year's, in time square.
My rose recovered. It took about a month. I've reapplied since then. I also used it as my first and last layer when building my elevated garden.
Happy Gardening!
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| Mystery rose -- uneaten by ants |
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