A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum The Rose Grower's Forum Pesticide?

My roses have been in the ground for about two weeks now, have new leaves opening on them and seem to look nice and healthy. But now I have seen a couple of catipillar/worm looking things on them (got them off and squished them) and I just now that I'm going to have issues with Japanese beetles (they swarmed my cannas the last two years).

Can anybody tell me what to do about this? I have pets, so I need something safe to use around them.

I had a problem with Japanese beetles last year... I picked them off the plants and dropped em in a pot of soapy water. Killed em instantly ;) I think theres also a recipe you can make that uses dead Japanese beetles to help get rid of em... Ill see if I can find it.

edit to add: Actually, I did find a site that mentions Milky Spore as a way of getting rid of them. "Because Milky Spore continually regenerates as it destroys Japanese beetle grubs, it can last for 3-10 years. It is also safe to use around children and pets while being non-toxic to the environment. You can buy the powder in canisters in most specialty gardening shops. Although the bacteria can be a bit pricey, Milky Spore is a worthwhile investment."
The site is http://www.gardenandhearth.com/Gardening-Tips/Japanese-Beetles.htm

Thank you! I'll for sure look into the Milky Spore. And maybe I can tell my boys I'll give them $5 for every 100 dead beetles they bring me...