I've got these beautiful, old-fashioned roses that smell incredible, but they've been invaded by aphids. Last year, I waited for ladybird larvae, but they arrived too late. Trying fairy liquid wasn't ideal since it upset the leaves. This year, I've used two different store-bought sprays that claimed to be super effective, but it seems like the aphids are thriving instead. I'm looking for some better solutions that won't harm the environment too much. Any suggestions?
4 Answers
I dilute fairy liquid too but make sure not to apply it in full sunlight. I give it a good spray, wait about 10 minutes, then rinse it off with water. It helps loosen the aphids without hurting the leaves. You might be using too concentrated a mix; I do one teaspoon in 500ml of water and that does the trick!
Whatever you do, steer clear of vinegar! I tried a vinegar spray on some advice, and while the aphids disappeared, so did my plant!
Timing really matters with sprays like diluted fairy liquid. I've found it works best in the early morning or late evening when the sun isn't blazing. Use a narrow spray pattern and focus on the aphids, especially on the buds and stems. This year, I'm trying out green lacewing larvae to see how they help before I spray anything else.
I've been using a Neem Oil solution because I want to keep things chemical-free for my cat. It takes a few applications, but it's worked on the greenfly I've had on my house plants. Just yesterday, I noticed my roses were covered in them, so I’m hoping it clears them up too!
Washing off does seem smart! I think leaving it on damaged the new leaves' waxy layer, so good tip!