Aphids are like lice or fleas: small, but terribly annoying. There are many types: yellow, brown, orange,… but the ones that most damage rose bushes are, by far, the green ones. And of course, since they have the body of that color, which is the same as that of the leaves, when they are scarce they can go unnoticedsomething that is very good for them, since they have the opportunity to reproduce and feed on the sap of the plant without anyone bothering them.
Thus, the problem worsens in a matter of a few days, especially if we are in the middle of summer, since the heat keeps these insects very active. So that, How to eliminate green aphid from rose bushes? Recovering our bushes will not be easy or quick, but from experience, it is possible to eliminate the pest if we apply the appropriate treatment.
When do green aphids appear?
How they love the heat green aphids take advantage of hot days to reproduce, feed, and grow. These are tiny animals, with bodies whose length is less than 0,5 cm, green in color and black legs when they finish their development. Although they live for a short time, about three weeks, the females are capable of producing a dozen offspring per day. That is why, if one day we see a specimen, we have to apply some treatment at that moment, before it becomes a plague.
Although in many places in Spain we can still be calm during the autumn months and, above all, winter, since during those weeks we will not find any green aphids, we recommend regularly checking the sheetsjust in case. As the planet warms, pests that were once typical of spring and summer are beginning to be seen in mid/late winter as well. I myself found a cottony mealybug on a jacaranda branch in February, in the middle of winter, of course the temperatures were not typical of the time.
For this reason, and since reviewing the sheets costs nothing, we recommend doing it from time to time. We will look at both sides of them, paying special attention to the reversesince that is where the green aphids hide, and if we see any, we will treat the rosebush.
What damage do green aphids cause to plants?
Green aphids are a pest that do not usually end the life of the rose bush, unless it is a small and/or young plant, in which case they could be fatal. But, What symptoms and damage do they cause? Next we will tell you:
- Leaves may appear rolled.
- The leaves lose color.
- Aphids secrete a lot of honeydew, making the leaves ‘sticky’.
- The molasses attracts ants, which are harmless to the rosebush.
- The flower buds remain closed.
- When the plague is widespread, the fungus appears bold, which covers the leaves with a blackish spot.
Thus, the plant weakens.
What to do to eliminate the green aphid from rose bushes?
These insects multiply rapidly, so the most sensible thing, from my own experience, is to take action the same day we see one. The question we all ask ourselves is: is there a remedy that is 100% effective and also acts quickly? Honestly, I couldn’t tell you because I haven’t tried all the ones on the market, but there are things that help to recover the plant:
clean it with water
If the rosebush has a lot of green aphids, for example in the flower buds, it is advisable to give it a cleaning with a small brush and drinking water or without lime. By doing this, we will be able to give it a break, but we must bear in mind that the plague will not be eliminated. Now, it will give us time to get an insecticide.
Treat it with an insecticide spray
Not all insecticides are effective against aphids, so you should buy one that indicates, in some way, that it can be treated to combat this pest. Likewise, we recommend getting a spray one as it is very easy to apply and relatively safe (as long as it is applied on a day when there is no wind).
Home remedies, such as lemon or wood ash, can be effective when there are very few aphids, but not when we have a pest that is weakening the rose bush.
What can be done to prevent the green aphid from affecting them?
We would all like our rose bushes to always be green, healthy and perfect. But the aphids, and in particular the green ones, during the days and weeks that the heat lasts, do everything they can to feed themselves, and generate new generations. So if we want to avoid seeing them in our bushes, there are things that will help for this purpose:
Keep roses well cared for
By “well cared for” I mean they must be watered, fertilized and pruned when necessaryand that they also have to be in the right location, which in their case is outside and in an area with light. Now, with this alone we are not going to prevent pests from affecting them, but if they are affected by any, they will be able to resist them better.
Remove wild weeds from around you
This is important: many pests hide among the weeds, and when the temperatures rise they move to the plants. Thus, we must try to eliminate weeds by the root. This way we will also get the rose bushes to grow better, without having to fight with any competitor.
Set anti-aphid traps
The aphid traps are yellow, and they have a sticky substance that attracts insects but also prevents them from escaping once they arrive. They serve as an ecological remedy, since they do not cause any damage to plants or the environment, except for aphids of course. It is a useful tool to be placed near the plants you wish to protect.
So, if your rosebush has green aphids, put these tips into practice.
