Claude’s Gardening and Landscaping Forum

aphids or webs from spider mites. You can help to control aphids with a jet of water to knock them off, then spraying them with insecticidal soap. It usually takes a few applications to control them. Spider mites like a dry environment, so watering is crucial. Planting chives, marigolds, cilantro around your roses will attract beneficial insects and help reduce the population of the harmful insects.

Besides our ground feeders, my suspended feeders got, and still get, continual usage from the Gold Finches, Chickadees, both sorts of Nuthatches, and the occasional House Finches, the male of whom added some red coloring to the scene. Of course the red spot on the heads of the male woodpeckers also did this too, so the lack of really bright colors is not that complete during our long winter, which is something to be grateful for and enjoyed. I hope you get to see some of them too in this new year,--- enjoy! Stay safe and well, Cheers,

John Baldwin

featuring Claude Smith

Dear Claude, My roses lose their leaves after blooming - what am I doing wrong?

From Sandy

The first thing that comes to mind is heat stress. Roses usually bloom in late June, early July and that’s when the temperature starts to climb. They will need lots of water to get them through