Elizabeth Thornton Dibbs was introduced to Madumbi’s product range via an EcoBuz training session at a Midlands Rose Society Meeting in 2019.

Elizabeth has a rose farm in Gauteng, supplying fragrant, garden-grown cut flowers to regular clients and florists. Elizabeth also runs a ‘rose support’ business, consulting and supporting rose growers on pruning and healthy rose growing advice operating with clients in KZN and Gauteng.

Since her introduction to Madumbi’s safe biological solutions, Elizabeth has worked closely with our biospecialist support team to transition away from conventional chemistry to a more natural, biological approach.

Elizabeth is a recognised rose ‘fundi’ and an expert on ‘all things roses’. She was gifted with two bee hives and was disappointed to learn that some of the common rose remedies are toxic to bee’s. Her desire to grow beautiful roses, whilst also being ‘bee-friendly’ was certainly a motivation to her trialing the Madumbi products.

18 months later, Elizabeth is extremely proud of the success she has achieved. Her roses bushes are healthy, strong and magnificent. The blooms are vibrant and strong, her customers now specifically request her roses commenting on the long, strong stems as well as extended shelf life.

Madumbi spent the morning visiting Elizabeth and her team, to view first hand the growth and the results being achieved. Amongst the most significant of Lizzy’s achievements is:

  • No insecticide applications have been needed, over the past 4 months – despite a
    particularly hot, dry summer season
  • Biofungicides Double Nickel 55 and BioCarb K are added to her spray program when blackspot and other diseases are detected. Blackspot damage is evident on the old foliage, but all new foliage is disease free
  • Downy mildew, detected on adjacent growing grapes was not evident in the roses (despite being an air-borne pathogen)
  • Increased rose stem length and overall plant health
  • Enhanced rose bloom size, colour and fragrance

Bella Rosa Farms are a passionate, committed team dedicated to best quality roses and
fabulous customer service. Madumbi are proud to partner with Bella Rosa Farms and look forward to continuing to improve and enhance their production, sustainably as their organisation grows into new markets.