Remove aphids on roses biologically

Content

To step
Method 1 of 3: Water the plants daily
Method 2 of 3: Introduce predators that eat aphids
Method 3 of 3: Make a biological repellent
Necessities
Water the plants daily
Introduce predators that eat aphids
Making a biological repellent
Tips

Aphids are small sap-eating insects that are attracted to roses. While most plants can handle a few aphids without sustaining permanent damage, you may need to take measures against aphid infestations if they damage or kill your roses. Watering your plants daily is an easy step you can take to keep aphids off your plants and keep them healthy at the same time. If watering proves not to be enough, you can introduce aphid predators to your garden. If this doesn't work either, you can smear your plants with an organic soap, garlic, or neem oil repellent.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Water the plants daily

Trim brown or dying leaves, stems and petals. Aphids occasionally lay eggs in the discolored areas of plants, so cut and dispose of them to prevent future generations of aphids from finding their way into your garden. You can also remove leaves, stems, or petals that have been badly damaged by the aphids. If a petal or leaf is covered with tiny holes, cut it off.
Spray your roses in the morning with a spray bottle or garden hose. Spray your roses early in the morning with a wide attachment on the garden hose. Adjust the hose nozzle to keep the water flowing as firmly as possible without damaging the roses. While a nuisance, aphids are not particularly nimble or strong. Send the aphids to different areas of your yard by hosing them down with water.
- Most aphids have no wings and will not be able to get back on the rose bushes if the water washes them away.
Tip: water your roses in the morning so they have time to dry out in the sun. Watering them at night may encourage mold growth.
Water gently at the bottom of the rose petals. Aphids tend to hang under the leaves of a rose plant to stay out of the sun. While watering, place your sprinkler low to the ground and point it upward to reach the undersides of your plant's leaves and repel any aphids that may be hiding there.
- Water the plant from all sides to make sure you get the bottom of all the leaves and petals.
Repeat this every day to prevent new aphids from establishing. Water your roses in the morning for a week or two. After several days of repeated watering, you should notice that the aphids have either completely disappeared or are moving to another plant. If not, consider bringing in a predator.

Method 2 of 3: Introduce predators that eat aphids

Buy ladybugs and release them in your garden at night. Buy 250 to 1,500 ladybugs from a gardening or pest control store. Put the bugs in the fridge for 20 to 45 minutes to reduce the chance that they will fly away immediately if you release them in the garden at night. Ladybugs feed on aphids, and a few ladybugs can do a lot in exterminating pests.
- Place the bugs around the base of your rose bushes and wait for them to wake up a bit before going to work.
- Spray the ladybugs with warm water after setting them down to encourage them to stay in your garden. Ladybugs prefer a moist environment, so a little water will help keep them in your garden.
Tip: the ladybugs will not stay in your garden forever. When most of the aphids have been eaten, they can fly off to another part of your yard, or leave altogether.
Convert a few bird feeders in your garden to attract birds. Consider doing this only if you don't want insects in your yard anymore. If you don't want to add insects, put some bird feeders in your yard. Also add some birdbaths and birdhouses to make your garden an attractive place for birds. Wren, tits, and other small birds all like to eat aphids, although it may take them a while to eat them all.
- Place a series of birdhouses and bird feeders around the rose bushes so that they cover the entire perimeter.
Plant nectar-secreting flowers near the roses to attract predators. Plant some of these flowers within 0.5 to 1.5 m of the roses. The nectar attracts predatory insects that hang around your garden in search of prey. If the flowers are close enough to the roses, they will start feeding on the aphids. Lacewings, hoverflies, and wasps are all natural predators of the aphids. They also happen to be attracted to flowers that secrete nectar, such as cosmos flowers or stonecrops.
- If you ever use a pesticide in your garden, you will eventually kill the beneficial insects.
- Stinging predatory wasps. Try to coexist peacefully with the wasps, but if you find a nest nearby, you may need to get rid of it.
- Catnip, oregano, fennel, and mint all attract predatory insects.

Method 3 of 3: Make a biological repellent

Make a garlic spray to make a safe repellent. Crush a whole garlic bulb with a mortar and pestle and let it steep in 500 ml of hot water for 24 hours. Strain the garlic with a colander and fill a spray bottle with the remaining water. Add 15 ml dishwashing liquid, cap and shake the bottle. Spray each part of your rose plant two or three times until it is completely misted with the spray.
- The garlic spray does not kill insects. It only makes the plant unattractive to aphids and other pests.
- Spray the undersides of the leaves as well.
Tip: the garlic water does not damage the plants. Feel free to repeat this process as often as necessary to get rid of the aphids. You can omit the dish soap if you are concerned it will harm the plants.
Spray the roses with neem oil to kill aphids and protect your plants. Take a spray bottle filled with pure neem oil and spray the aphid-infected plants with it two or three times. Neem oil is a natural pesticide that is distilled from plant seeds and coats the aphids and prevents them from feeding or laying larvae.
- Neem oil will not harm your plants, but it will also repel any beneficial insects. Do not use neem oil if you have already released ladybugs or lured other predators into your yard.
Try with a simple soap and water mixture for light infestations. Mix 30 to 45 ml of liquid soap in a spray bottle filled with warm water. Shake the bottle to mix and spray the infected plants from all directions. Use the widest spray setting on the bottle to avoid a lot of soap on a small area. The soap and water mixture harms the aphids and chases them away from the roses.
- Do not use soap and water when it is warmer than 32 ° C outside. The plants absorb the soap before it has time to evaporate.