Why You Should Reconsider Planting Roses Near Your Fruit Trees

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Roses are red, violets are blue, and the former might explain why your fruit tree never grew. Anyone who has ever tried to grow an apple or a peach tree will surely understand how sensitive these and other fruit-bearing trees can be to hostile environmental factors. Gardeners often struggle for years to get their trees to mature and yield fruit for this very reason. That's why it is important to maintain a sustainable ecosystem, known as permaculture. A healthy permaculture should have plenty of pollinators, nitrogen-rich soil, and very few pests that can destroy its plants. To achieve this balance, you need to have the right plants growing next to each other. While they may look pretty, roses are one of many types of flowers that you shouldn't grow near fruit trees, as they are not companion plants .

If you like the smell of roses, you can bet that insects feel the same way. Many of the insects attracted to roses have damaging effects on fruit trees, especially those that grow in warmer climates, which is why avocado, pomegranate, and citrus trees are particularly at risk of infestation. Pests like thrips and aphids thrive in the heat because it allows them to rapidly reproduce in a brief amount of time, damaging backyard fruit trees or even entire orchards. If you have noticed the beginnings of a pest infestation in your fruit trees, you may still have time to save them. Planting roses and fruit trees together can also create unwanted shade. By removing or transplanting your roses and adding several replacement plants, you can restore the health of your backyard ecosystem.

Read more: These Shade-Loving Perennials Will Brighten Up Shaded Areas Of Your Garden

How Roses, And The Creatures They Attract, Can Harm Fruit Trees

The mites and aphids that often call roses home might be the reason why your fruit trees aren't growing fruit . Once these pests show up, they can easily migrate from your rose bushes to your fruit trees, where they will feed on leaves and suck out the sap and vital nutrients. Your trees probably have a pest problem if you find holes in the leaves or if they start to brown and curl prematurely. Young fruit trees are especially susceptible. Japanese beetles can also be lured in by roses and consume fruit and leaves, causing a skeleton-like appearance on leaves.

As Peter Kropotkin observed in "Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution," not all organisms are constantly locked in a desperate struggle for resources. As with any successful ecosystem, your backyard permaculture should consist of species that thrive in cooperation with one another. For example, comfreys and marigolds produce colorful flowers that not only brighten up yards but also attract pollinators. There are also plants, such as lupine and crimson clover, that will add nitrogen to the soil (just ensure they're not invasive in your area). And, if you still have a bug problem after removing those roses, yarrow repels aphids and attracts insects that eat the pesky sap suckers.

While pest prevention is important for cultivating healthy flowers and fruit trees alike, you also can't forget about the valuable energy that comes from above -- sunlight. Dense rose bushes often block essential sunlight from young trees, and older trees can have the same effect on your flowerbeds. Both roses and fruit trees typically need full sunlight, so relocating your roses can benefit both.

Read the original article on Outdoor Guide .