Roses are one of the most popular plants for the landscape. And, like other timeless beauties, the "Queen of Flowers" needs maintenance to look her best. In addition to cultural care, rose plants thrive under an established pest control regime.

Aphids, thrips, spider mites, leafhoppers and other insect pests feed on roses, causing a variety of damage such as stippling, chewed foliage or deformed flowers and new growth. A rose/floral care product is something no rose grower should be without. It protects the plant against insects that attempt to feed on it and is resistant to wash off by rain.

A rose/floral care should also contain a fertilizer to keep your rose plants well nourished and blooming during the growing season. It can be used on established roses as well as new plantings and provides up to six weeks of feeding plus control and protection against insect pests.

Diseases are another enemy of roses. You can wait and control diseases after they appear, or you can prevent them from making an appearance. Experts recommend setting up a regular spray schedule for rose disease prevention. Once diseases become established, their effects remain through the growing season, marring the perfection of the roses.

Two common rose diseases are black spot and powdery mildew. Black spot is characterized by circular black spots with fringed edges that appear on the leaves. They are often surrounded by yellow patches. Black spot thrives in areas with high humidity or rain in spring and summer.