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Was the Ortho product you got a Systemic? Aphids suck the juices out of the plant...Systemic goes through the plant and kills them that way... I have 9430430 rose bushes (Well, maybe not that many..but close!) and it takes care of them just fine..
I ditto this! Systemic works the best for me. I apply it in Spring (granular); I'd say it lasts about 2.5 to 3 months and then if needed I follow through with a bug spray attached to my hose(can't remember the brand name) and that seems to do the trick. Systemic will also help keep spider mites away which can do damage extremely fast.
I use the soap and water method, but I add garlic in powder form [ crushed cloves, garlic oil, capsules work too ] to the mix. Garlic is a feeding deterent to most insects. Garlic also repels ants, ants farm aphids much as we farm cows. Deter the ants and you will keep most of aphids away. If the ants persist, make a strong tea of yarrow by pouring boiling water on any part of the yarrow plant, let cool and wash down the plant and soak the roots, it will chase the ants away and may even kill them. Do this on an over cast day because yarrow makes the subject photo sensitive and may cause sun scalding. Pyrethrum [ feverfew ], tansy and camomile also work in less degrees. You can also add a bird feeder to your yard and let the birds eat the bugs, finch's love to eat aphids and other bugs, but be sure to not be using chemicals in your yard if you plan on feeding the birds, they will just take the chemicals right back to their babies.
Location: Los Angeles, which as I understand was once upon a time ago part of the United States of America
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Regarding soap, my parents once accidentally killed a gardenia bush with soap that ran off from washing their cars, so I'm honestly a little apprehensive about that method.
I daresay the stuff your parents were washing their cars with was a little more harsh than dishwashing liquid (after all, you can soak your hands in it! ).
If you're really leery about it, use real soap -- made from vegetable oil -- and not detergent, which is what most dishwashing liquids are anyway.
I can't see where soap is more toxic to a plant than chemical bug killers.
Was the Ortho product you got a Systemic? Aphids suck the juices out of the plant...Systemic goes through the plant and kills them that way... I have 9430430 rose bushes (Well, maybe not that many..but close!) and it takes care of them just fine..
That's what I have always used and it works well for me!! Also, if the aphids are really think on the rose buds, which happened to me at times, I take a little rubbing alcohol from the bathroom, put it in a spray bottle and blast them. Instant death and the alcohol evaporates right away. This is what we did when I was in the house plant care business!!
The soaps used for dishwashing are mostly phosphate free, the soap used for car washing is harsh, if not a bit caustic to foliage and roots. Crystal White, also known as colgate dish detergent is phosphate free and will not harm plants if not over used. I only use dish soap in small amounts when I was my truck and it has never killed anything along my driveway.
That's what I have always used and it works well for me!! Also, if the aphids are really think on the rose buds, which happened to me at times, I take a little rubbing alcohol from the bathroom, put it in a spray bottle and blast them. Instant death and the alcohol evaporates right away. This is what we did when I was in the house plant care business!!
Yes alcohol works too, but can burn the plant so don't do this during the heat of the day, make sure if you use rubbing alcohol that you do it in the evening.
Those little aphids are nasty, nasty, nasty. Every year, I fight them on whatever I seem to plant in my window boxes -- this time of year, it's the poor pansies, and they are covered in them.
I have tried all of these methods, and the systemic is by far the best. It takes just a little while for it to work its magic, but it does get a handle on the things. I'll generally try to get ladybugs, too, but it seems I have a lot of birds that must like them for snacks.
I also spray my plants with a mild solution of dishwashing liquid and water, and that works.
There really isn't anything that is going to work overnight, unfortunately.
Insecticidal soap is sold in stores - it easily gets rid of aphids - no need for harsh chemicals.
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