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APHIDS ON ROSES

viscountsquareviscountsquare Posts: 11
in Problem solving
Hello, I live in Lincolnshire.  The weather has been cold, wet and windy.  Most of the plants in my garden are roses.  I like to garden organically.  The aphids this year seem much larger and brown in colour.  Lots of ladybirds about and far more lacewings than usual.  Also wasps seem to like to hang around the aphids.  Don't know what to do as I don't want to harm any beneficial insects but these ghastly aphids are really ugly.  Thanks for your help. 

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Squirt them off with a hose. If that doesn't work, use a very mild solution of washing up liquid.
    When you have got rid of them, be vigilant about gently squishing any that appear. They usually start at the base of flower buds or partially opened leaves.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • corby008corby008 Posts: 32
    I usually give mine a Squirt with a hose.

    I've also noticed the little garden birds do a brilliant job feeding on the aphids. ( I love watching them play about in the Roses)


  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    No soap!  It's bad for the predators too and they and their larvae will soon hoover up the worst of those aphids as will sparrows and tits looking for juicy protein for their nestlings.   Blast them with a hosepipe or squish with your fingers but otherwise try and be patient.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    Nothing ever hoovers up my aphids and I have a lot of birds here. I start off squishing and washing then give in and use liquid soap dissolved in water. Not washing up liquid, which is a detergent. Soap is made from natural ingredients, detergents are made from chemicals.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    The other organic route is to boil rhubarb leaves, strain off the liquid, allow to cool, then fill a household spray gun with which to spray the aphids with it.
  • viscountsquareviscountsquare Posts: 11
    Thanks for your comments.  I like the idea of boiling up rhubarb leaves to make a spray.  My garden was made from scratch two years ago.  I live on a new estate.  Although I have put out quite a few bird boxes I rarely see any little birds.  A pair of wagtails fly past now and then but never decide to land.  Only pigeons, seagulls and crows can be seen in the skies.  Have also planted many lovely trees but nothing seems to tempt them down.  Thanks again for taking the time to leave me a comment.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    You can wipe them off with your fingers, though you do have quite an encrustation going on. Hopefully the ladybirds will gt going and hoover them all.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Busy-Lizzie said: Nothing ever hoovers up my aphids and I have a lot of birds here.
    Snap! I have a very healthy garden bird population over 40 roses and garden organically. My avian visitors just completely ignore aphids here. Try a squirt of Dr. Bronners or similar organic pure Castille liquid soap in a water spray bottle, 100% natural. It does help by smothering the aphids rather than just knocking them off. The concentration is far too low to be harmful to anything, but if you are worried about birds (or insects) eating soapy aphids, spray in the evening and then hose off with plain water early in the morning before the birds are actively feeding.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • celcius_kkwcelcius_kkw Posts: 753
    edited May 2021
    I have started using a new product this year called SB plant invigorator.. it works a little like soapy water and contains foliar feed as well. It is labelled organic and I find that it works much more effectively than insecticide, and it’s non toxic. 

    It works really well if you only have few roses to look after and are happy to spray weekly (or at least fortnightly) - in my case I have 15 roses so I can easily keep on top of regime. I garden on a rooftop balcony so I don’t have much chance with small birds or lady bugs.. 
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    viscountsquare said:
    Thanks for your comments.  I like the idea of boiling up rhubarb leaves to make a spray.  My garden was made from scratch two years ago.  I live on a new estate.  Although I have put out quite a few bird boxes I rarely see any little birds.  A pair of wagtails fly past now and then but never decide to land.  Only pigeons, seagulls and crows can be seen in the skies.  Have also planted many lovely trees but nothing seems to tempt them down.  Thanks again for taking the time to leave me a comment.
    Try food!  The sparrows love mealworm and sunflower hearts, and they're the best at getting the aphids off the roses too.
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