Greenfly infesting my roses

soapy water in a spaybottle or somebody said recently soak nettles in water for a couple of weeks and the spray with that for a more garden friendly version
x x

I have a garden with all my fences and arches covered in rambling roses and Galica roses a lot of the old ones. The first few years I was exhausted spraying for green fly, up at 5.o a.m. in the morning before the Bees were about and the more I sprayed the more they seemed to come, but in fairness I had so many about 300 rose bushes, I also had a lot of blackspot. I have written a blog about it on my site. One day I had the brain wave of Buying a big tub of Sulpher powder from the Agricultural Merchants and with gloves and mask on a still day I threw handfulls of that about the rose beds. I get very little trouble from blackspot now and also very little trouble with green fly, but that I put down to the roses being healthy and because I stopped spraying the birds do a fine job of cleaning up the green fly. I dont think the wild life like the smell of these sprays. Now I don't bother to do anything to them other than prune them at the right time, feed them and enjoy them. May be coincidental , but as the years have passed The only probem I have is battling with the prickles when I prune them!!!!! and the number of birds in the garden give me great pleasure.

As Telme says Sulphur is the answer. After the clean air act when sulphur in the air was reduced, also the change of root stocks from briar to rosa regosa gave us weaker growth. Black spot and aphids increased. Also look out for ants, farming greenfly.

Feed the Blue Tits and they will repay you by eating the Aphids. Best advice I have heard.

If you read my latest blog, companion planting may help.(ie underplant with lavender or mint) You could also try buying some lacewing or ladybirds to eat them for you (internet). Another source is to spray with seaweed liquid. Pests hate the taste!