I think the issue is often about having the patience whilst a balance is been achieved.
If previously any pests have always been squished, poisoned etc then a population of predators won’t be present either (lack of food, blasted by a hose and also often susceptible to the pesticides used, bought or homemade). Relying on nature doesn’t mean no pests, just hopefully an acceptable balance.
On one of our canal walks, there is a magnificent clump of lupins growing wild amongst nettles, horsetail and bracken. Happily competing with their neighbours and not a slug, nibbled leaf or aphid in sight. I wish mine looked the same, their quite small and I don’t think I’ve achieved a natural balance yet in the cold frame 🤣
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
I don't grow roses, and I don't have loads of plants which are terribly susceptible, but the amount of birds present, especially blue tits [well known aphid hooverers!] means they disappear quickly anyway, so it's as @Butterfly66 says - getting a balance is the way forward, but it takes a little bit of time in these new estates where it's a much more sterile environment. Funnily enough, I'd forgotten that the Euphorbia I have under a window always gets a lot along the stems, until I was sitting there for a little while recently, and I spotted a little blue tit in there yesterday, getting food for it's youngsters.
You can do a little bit of wiping/water squirting initially, if there's a huge amount, as others have said, but in the meantime, look at encouraging some wildlife in that will help in future. Plenty of varied plants, little habitats for wildlife, and a source of water for them, feeding birds to encourage them in etc. You'll get there - it just takes a little time.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
When I first grew roses, I had the same issue. Then I learned to leave the little buggers be.
Now I get the same problem with broad beans. We leave them be too, although it makes me nervous, because I expect a reasonable crop. I don't eat roses!!
The first year of not spraying can be hard to watch, but the second year is brilliant! Little to no aphids, and lots of birdies doing my gardening, leaving me more time for enjoyable gardening
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On one of our canal walks, there is a magnificent clump of lupins growing wild amongst nettles, horsetail and bracken. Happily competing with their neighbours and not a slug, nibbled leaf or aphid in sight. I wish mine looked the same, their quite small and I don’t think I’ve achieved a natural balance yet in the cold frame 🤣
East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
You can do a little bit of wiping/water squirting initially, if there's a huge amount, as others have said, but in the meantime, look at encouraging some wildlife in that will help in future. Plenty of varied plants, little habitats for wildlife, and a source of water for them, feeding birds to encourage them in etc. You'll get there - it just takes a little time.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Now I get the same problem with broad beans. We leave them be too, although it makes me nervous, because I expect a reasonable crop.
I don't eat roses!!