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roses
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hello, Im new to this .A keen gardener who has suddenly discovered all my rose bushes covered in green flies and some stems seem to have a black scale or tiny black eggs in clusters along the rose stems.these drop off when i rub them down.what are they and how can i rid the green fly infestation as quick and cheaply as possible.will washing up water do?
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Rose clear is effective but not great for wildlife. This year I am trying to not spray for the sake of the wildlife in my garden. I am hoping the lacewings in my garden will start laying eggs on them soon so that the larvae will control them but in the meantime we have a dunnock that is eating ours. Now it just needs to find the ones in the greenhouse.
Totally agree Rainbowfish
I follow the same ethos as Monty Don describes here
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/gardening/article-1186297/Plagued-aphids-Why-learn-love-little-pests-says-Monty-Don.html
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I think I've not used insecticides for about 20 years, and much more than that for fungicides.
Interesting article Dove
I kinda wish there were more aphids on my roses as the Dunnock is cute to watch scrambling through the standard bushes.
No sprays here either. I have bird feeders hanging all over the garden and I find that the adult sparrows and tits come and hoover up the aphids to feed their chicks and the ladybirds and larvae deal with the rest. If I find some they've missed I squish with my fingers and give them a blast from the hose pipe with it's spray nozzle.