How to Get Rid of Greenfly on Flowers
Getting rid of aphids on roses
Of all the pests and diseases that affect roses, aphids seem to be the most common. They will be found underneath leaves but also clustered around buds and flowers. Aphids can damage buds so that they fail to develop and they suck the sap out of young shoots to the degree that the foliage becomes wilted and unhealthy looking. They leave behind a sticky, sugary substance called honeydew that may turn black and ugly if infected withsooty mould.
Aphids are usually green but can also be black, orange, or shades of brown. The green aphids typically found on roses are usually called greenfly.
It is best to wipe out aphids when you first notice them, as they have incredible reproductive capabilities. A plant can literally be covered with thousands of aphids in a very short time if not dealt with quickly.
The easiest way to handle these pests on roses is to be diligent from the beginning of the rose's growing cycle and check your roses regularly. If you see any of the offending bugs you can just squash them with your fingers.
You can knock them off a plant with a strong jet of water from your garden hose, or you can spray them with soapy water. If you do use soap however, apply it on a cooler day and wash it off after about 15 minutes or it may damage the plant. The soap helps wash off sooty mould, too.
Ladybirds and their larvae, as well as lacewing larvae and hover-fly larvae, love feeding on aphids so encourage these into the garden. Try planting some dwarf lavender under the rose trees as they tend to attract their natural predators, such as ladybirds. Small birds, especially blue tits, also eat large numbers.
For chemical control there are a large number of insecticides available here atHenry Street Garden Centre. We recommend usingRoseclear Ultra which will control fungal diseases such as blackspot and mildew as well. Alternatively tryWestland Resolva Bug Killer or a good organic option isBayer Organic Bug Free. All these insecticides will only kill selected insects and will not harm beneficial bees and ladybirds.
If you need help with pest control and in finding the best product then our garden experts will be more than happy to help you in our store.
Related Posts
Plan your Christmas Decorations NOW for a stress free December
Yes, yes we know it's only November! We're not suggesting that you should put up your Christmas tree this weekend, but a bit of forward planning will not go amiss. Unless you're one of those people that are super-organised, Christmas seems to sneak up every single year and surprise us…
Read More
Autumn Lawn Repair and Overseeding
Autumn is the very best time of year for lawn repair or laying new lawns. Firstly, the soil is at its warmest at this time of year and a lot of people don't realise that when you're sowing grass seed, the seed needs a soil temperature of at least above…
Read More
Autumn feeding in your garden
Many gardeners think of spring and summer as the principal feeding season for their plants. But in the UK where we experience relatively mild, wet winters, even though growth does slow down our plants do continue to grow and develop using energy to establish roots instead of flowers, fruit or…
Read More
How to Get Rid of Greenfly on Flowers
Source: https://www.henrystreet.co.uk/getting-rid-aphids-roses/