grrrr...aphids on roses

[BunnytheOrchid]

So this morning as I was misting my orchids and watering my roses I saw on one rose plant a couple of silvery looking things and then some lovely green bugs. I assume they are aphids, though I don't want to look closely at them to make sure Bugs and I don't mix well. I assume the silvery stuff are eggs. So my question is do people prefer a pesticide cure or a ladybug cure? I want do what's best for the roses, so if that means dealing with ladybugs I will. Pesticides always kind of made me nervous because of the chemicals. The plant is isolated from my other ones (they are all in pots), so I don't know how long that gives me to decide before they take over my life , but if anyone has a preference or experience I would love to hear it. Thank you!

[jay]

Bunny - Try this link. I have used the indoor version on my orchids with great results. It is all non-toxic and natural.

[digitalgate]

aphids easy to kill. Dont worry

[Hummer344]

Use Safer rose spray for aphids. Non toxic. OR just hit them with a strong jet of water. Knocks them right off the plant and they die. ORRRR, wait for the lady beatles to show up but, usually, there is a lag time before they get going. Birds, especially bush tits love aphids. Be patient. ORRRRRRRRRR, as a last resort, you can spray the little buggers with a poison. Of course thats my very last choice.

[slippery_biscuit]

It's all right there. They are easy to wipe out, though they always seem to be just around the corner. I use the soapy stuff, and sometime I'll buy a packet of ladybugs and turn them loose. There is a bit of entertainment with that method, at least for me.

[kmarch]

Safer's Soap works well on aphids (at least it wipes them off my orchids in one treatment). Like my Dad would have said, "Spray the h*ll outta the buggers."

[digitalgate]

or i love this one
catch a ladybug and put it next to the aphids. he he he.... put the whole plant
in a bag for this interesting experiment. I tried that , it is really fun.
Release the lady bug after that, they eat a lot of aphids !

[Marcia_pa]

I usually just squish aphids with my fingers. I found it takes a lot of water pressure to knock those things off stems. If you'd rather not do any squishing , the Safer soap solution is nonpoisonous so I'd try that instead of anything stronger. I think the label says to wash off after 30 minutes so leaves aren't burned by the spray. Probably it's not good to use in bright sunshine, either.
Marcia

[orchid_girl]

If you have aphids you probably have ants. If you have ants they can kill your roses. I have lost a few to ants. If you are looking for a chemical solution use Seven Dust if you can get your hands on it. It will also protect your roses from Japanese Beetles.

[dtje2000]

I had aphids and some kind of green scale on a citrus tree...after using a neem oil spray that just made them wave their little hands for more, I sprayed them with olive oil cooking spray (act of desperation by an annoyed gardener)...and the next day my tree was clean of all those pesky critters. Is this a safe thing to do? I've no idea...I'd love to hear thoughts from others on it...

[Ellen]

dtje: Did your tree survive unharmed after the olive oil spray? If so, then it's safe.
Roses seem to be the most finicky plants there are. They inevitably get aphids, black leaf fungus, powdery mildew, and anything else that's lurking around. I finally gave up on keeping mine looking nice and left them to die, but they have somehow achieved an equilibrium in which the pests get eaten by something (ladybugs?), the ugly leaves fall off and are replaced by new healthy ones, and they bloom their little hearts out all summer and fall.

[BunnytheOrchid]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm thinking I'll see what is in stock at my local nursery in terms of a spray. If there's nothing there that seems gentle I suppose I can just invest in buying ladybugs. Though I don't know what I'll do with 1500 or so ladybugs . I am hopeful that I got rid of most of them; this morning I saw like a colony's worth under one flower. So I clipped off the flower, and I couldn't see many more on the actual plant. So hopefully I got most of them. They sure are nasty little things .

orchid_girl: Do ants and aphids typically come together? I don't see any ant trails...Should I be looking for something in particular to know I have ants too?

Marcia_pa: You are far braver than I! I don't know if I could ever smoosh an aphid with my bare fingers!! I realize that gardening requires dealing with bugs, but I prefer to deal with them with a ten foot pole

[Hummer344]

Ants will farm aphids. Aphids excrete a sweet sap like stuff that that ants love. Sorta a symbiotic(sp) relationship. Get rid of the aphids and the ants will go away to new pickings. Once the excretment gets really going a fungus grows on it and it turns black. It all can be washed off. Lots of funny things going on with mother nature.

[orchid_girl]

If you have mulch around your roses I would look and see under it. Hummer said everything I can say That sweet stuff gets them and believe if the get started they do hang around (meaning ants). Something about roses and ants, they just love their roots I guess. I haven't had too much of an issue the last couple of years though.

[palito]

Originally Posted by Ellen

dtje: Did your tree survive unharmed after the olive oil spray? If so, then it's safe.
Roses seem to be the most finicky plants there are. They inevitably get aphids, black leaf fungus, powdery mildew, and anything else that's lurking around. I finally gave up on keeping mine looking nice and left them to die, but they have somehow achieved an equilibrium in which the pests get eaten by something (ladybugs?), the ugly leaves fall off and are replaced by new healthy ones, and they bloom their little hearts out all summer and fall.

100% agree with you
I have several large roses, including some huge climbers. I used to fight a losing battle with black spot, aphids, mildew and it was a major task to spray them, Now I just let them be and they have achieved this equilibrium. The worst disease, black spot is just inevitable but a healthy rose once well established will resist this with no problem. Same with aphids.

[jerrymeola]

I have sprayed my roses with Worm Tea and had all aphids disappear over night. They are repulsed by the ceitanese in the spray. There were hundreds of aphids on the bush.

[digitalgate]

Originally Posted by BunnytheOrchid

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm thinking I'll see what is in stock at my local nursery in terms of a spray. If there's nothing there that seems gentle I suppose I can just invest in buying ladybugs. Though I don't know what I'll do with 1500 or so ladybugs . I am hopeful that I got rid of most of them; this morning I saw like a colony's worth under one flower. So I clipped off the flower, and I couldn't see many more on the actual plant. So hopefully I got most of them. They sure are nasty little things .

Aphids , small case.. I have spider mites, two spotted mites problem. That
would be nasty.. Consider yourself very very lucky

[BunnytheOrchid]

Thank you again everyone, you've all been very helpful and informative. I guess I'll see where I stand tomorrow in terms of how many (or if any) are left. I am hoping this might POSSIBLY be the last time I deal with aphids, but I know that's wishful thinking

digitalgate: I agree, I could have it a lot worse. I am amazed at how many different critters there are out there that affect orchids and other plants. As long as the stay away from me and my plants though, no problem. I just don't want to meet them personally