Bug remedy for roses

garroff

Does a milk/water mixture spray work to eliminate bugs from roses?

Oldtree

I would say it would need to be a bit more sticky, like wasking up liquid and water which suffocates the insects as they breathe throught their exoskeleton.

But with any sprays if you start you have to continue as you will also kill the preadator insects like lady birds.

lady birds have a life cycle of 6 weeks and aphids 2 weeks so the lady birds once terminated will never build up enough numbers to deal with the aphids.

My preference is to move ladybirds onto the roses, helping nature along.

I also squish the aphids at the rose tips taking care not to kill the rose tip.

garroff

Thanks Oldtree.....not being smart but how do you squish the aphids.....and would it not take for ever?

redser7

Thumb and forefinger and as gently as you can. I've lost a few buds through carelessness but it's very effective way of getting lots of the buggers if you have the time.
I'm seeing tons of them around, both at home and at the plot. Wonder if it's to be a bad season for them??

garroff

Thanks redser.....another question....my roses are in planters....how often should I water.
Thanks for your help

Oldtree

i have 6 roses that i squish on about once a week to allow the ladybirds to build up, time well spent imo.

Put a tray underneath planters and fill when empty, then the roses will always have sufficient water.

Aphids just seem to be starting up in numbers, but have also moved my first ladybird onto them. If you can sustain the first 6 weeks damage and time then the lb's should then be doing their job.

paddy147

Tomato aphid spray or garlic aphid spray works a treat.

Very easy to mix up and make at home.

We have used it before on box balls to get rid of wooly aphids.

Works a treat.:)

Ladybirds love eating aphids too.

redser7

The pity about sprays is that it kills the good guys too though.
I've been trying squishing first till I run out of time and patience, then a good hose down to knock any remaining ones off and then check back in a couple of days. If it was really getting out of control I'd use a spray.

Oldtree

paddy147 wrote: »

Tomato aphid spray or garlic aphid spray works a treat.

Very easy to mix up and make at home.

We have used it before on box balls to get rid of wooly aphids.

Works a treat.:)

Ladybirds love eating aphids too.

dead ladybirds cant eat dead aphids paddy

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

dead ladybirds cant eat dead aphids paddy

Who ever said anything about them being dead??;)

One box ball was lightly sprayed with the spray,another at the other end of the garden had some ladybirds on it.:D

We put some homemade ladybird hotels around the garden aswell.

Oldtree

paddy147 wrote: »

Who ever said anything about them being dead??;)

One box ball was lightly sprayed with the spray,another at the other end of the garden had some ladybirds on it.:D

We put some homemade ladybird hotels around the garden aswell.

the point is that a spray is indescriminate and any insect that it touches will be killed. so while you may have ladybirds at the other end of the garden the ones in the kill zone (which you may not be able to see) will be killed and are therefore not going to eat any aphids (dead or alive).

Its a good idea to put in hotels to encourage predator insects.

Seve OB

Excuse my ignorance but wth is squishing aphids?

I seem to have my garden overrun year on year, especially the roses (and I have a few of them) with greenfly.

Generally I spray the hell out of them with RoseClear(it smells really nice ). Am I doing the right or wrong thing?

Oldtree

there is no right or wrong here, its just a decision on how I decide to manage my garden. I am going for as little chemical intervention as I can.

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

there is no right or wrong here, its just a decision on how I decide to manage my garden. I am going for as little chemical intervention as I can.

+1.

Likewize........hense the ladybirds and homemade ladybird hotels around the garden.:)

redser7

stevieob wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance but wth is squishing aphids?

I seem to have my garden overrun year on year, especially the roses (and I have a few of them) with greenfly.

Generally I spray the hell out of them with RoseClear(it smells really nice ). Am I doing the right or wrong thing?

Squishing aphids, literally squashing them between your fingers, messy business but strangely satisfying.

Some people will take a hard line on the use of chemicals. Buying tem and using them suppors the manufacturers who no doubt are damaging the environment. They indiscriminately damage ecosystems. Even killing greenfly on your Roses can kill pollinators like bees and we're hearing so much about that. Chemicals can also enter ground water. Attitudes are changing and more people no longer trust that just because a product is allowed to be on a shop shelf that it is safe and wise to use it. People use Roundup without a moments thought. But a quick google might change your mind. So have a think, a little read and look for alternatives. More and more people are growing organically all the time.

Seve OB

Cheers Redser. I don't think I could be arsed to spend the time to squish all the greenfly that tend to gather on my roses, I think I would be still there this time next year!

Could there be an underlying problem in my garden that seems to attract so many of the little blighters?

redser7

I dont know to be honest. They like new tender sappy growth so I suppose if you have a nice well-tended garden with lots of new growth then it would attract them and encourage a population boom. Could be a matter of luck too I guess. And the weather of course too. I'm wondering if the mild winter helped many to survive.

Oldtree

paddy147 wrote: »

+1.

Likewize........hense the ladybirds and homemade ladybird hotels around the garden.:)

I dont use any insecticides at all at all paddy

Oldtree

stevieob wrote: »

Cheers Redser. I don't think I could be arsed to spend the time to squish all the greenfly that tend to gather on my roses, I think I would be still there this time next year!

Could there be an underlying problem in my garden that seems to attract so many of the little blighters?

its not so much a problem, its just that they just like whats in your garden and where there is plenty to eat they will stay and if there are no predator insects then the numbers of aphids will just grow and grow.

I heard a number of years ago the if the preadator insects were not there controling the aphid population then we would all be under 16 foot of aphids within one summer. I'm not sure to the treism of the amount of aphids but with a life cycle of 2 weeks 1 turns into loads very quickly.

As red mentioned they love softer new growth. Artificial Fertilisers also lead to soft extention growth that is more bush but more prone to both insect attack and disease.

I feed my roses in sparingly with this in mind and only a organic liquid feed with added seaweed with an N of 4 or so.

garroff

Tried the garlic spray. Worked a treat.
2 TBLS Washing up liquid
2 cups water.
2 cloves garlic blended in. Left to sit overnight.
Sprayed next day.
A week later still no green fly.

Thanks

redser7

That's a lot of detergent in 2 cups of water. How's the plant doing?

periodictable

Try a mix of soapy water and crushed garlic.