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how do I rid aphids on outdoor rose plant?

14 years ago

I just recently found a beautiful rose bush growing next to my apt. (just moved in in Feb.) It was wayyyy overgrown and the neighbor said hes never seen it bloom.. I cut it way back and tied it together. Now I have an aphid problem..green little buggers, and some of them are big! I keep knocking them off for now, but want to know how to kill them without harming the bush..which is flourishing now that Ive cleaned up his habitat!

Thanks, christina

Featured Answer

anemone

14 years ago

roseman,

Why not put the cure here, so we can all use it? :)

Anemone

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Comments (7)

Zyperiris
14 years ago
A strong blast of water will kill aphids
kentstar
14 years ago
I run my fingers over them a squish them too. Works fine.
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Roses self protect against aphids. Title: DYNAMIC ASPECTS OF THE CHEMICAL RELATION BETWEEN THE ROSE APHID MACROSIPHUM-ROSAE AND ROSE BUDS Author: MILES P W Author affiliation: WAITE AGRIC. RES. INST., UNIV. ADELAIDE, ADELAIDE, S. AUST. Published in: Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, volumn 37, pages 129-136, (1985). Abstract: "Dynamic aspects of the chemical relation between the rose aphid [Macrosiphum rosae] and rose buds.In warm weather, M. rosae (L.) walks off buds of hybrid tea roses during a critical period coinciding with the opening of the sepals. This behavior could not be related to histologically detectable barriers to feeding, nor to changes in the water content of the tissues or in their composition with respect to total soluble carbohydrate, amino nitrogen or phenolic compounds; major changes in tissue chemistry, effected by spraying the bushes with urea, did not affect the time at which the aphids left the buds. Tissue sap expressed from stems and sepals showed a significant increase in catechin content after, rather than during, the critical period. Once expressed, however, sap from buds at the critical stage showed a sharp in vitro rise in catechin content over a few hours, up to levels approximating those against which the insects discriminated in choice tests. The insects could well be sensitive to a developing capacity of tissue to accumulated catechin, possibly in response to their feeding activity."
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greenhaven
14 years ago
If you still don't see nay bloms after giving it some love I wouldn;t waste any more time and effort on it. It's probably rootstock that remains after the upper part of a grafted rose has died away. Rootstock is seldom a desireable plant, especially in a zone 5 location.but aphids, yes. not a huge problem in zone 5, water or squish. The birds and good bugs will do the rest.
socks
14 years ago
It may be rootstock and it may not. I think you are right to give it a chance.

I agree with squirting the aphids with water. You can do it every few days or when you see them return. Aphids usually collect around buds. Are there buds? Only squirt when the bush will have time to dry off quickly.

Keep it watered. I'm not really familiar with your zone, so maybe someone else here can comment on giving a feeding in August. In my zone we can feed through October/November.
christoula
Original Author
14 years ago
socks,
Thanks for the eternal optimism! lol.. I dont even know what rootstock is. I do know the owner of the house planted this rosebush 5 years ago, and knowing him, it was for bloom. When I first tackled it it had 5 or six main branches a good 6 feet long each and there was groundcover rooted all around it. I think Ive cared for this plant more than my child lately! lol Anywhooo.. I yanked out all the constricting roots, put down a bunch of good soil, and about 5 inches of mulch over that.. Its growing like crazy, and yes it seems the aphids like the tips of the plant where it looks like there COULD be some buds.. I am no expert on roses tho, so Im depending on this site!! I usually hang out in the cacti succulent forum~ lol
As for this zone.. should be named CRAP for all I care lately! Today is the first day weve seen 80's almost all summer.. September gets night frosts, with our first snowfall in mid October normally..
Thanks, Christina
roseman
14 years ago
Email me for the cure. It's so simple that even a child can do it.

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