Garden

[JustJazzmom]

First few warm days of spring and bam! the aphids are starting to appear on the roses (the tender parts). To the rescue-- the container of ladybugs I purchased over a week ago and sitting in my fridge. As soon as I opened the container, a few stirred. I used a piece of mulch to move a few directly to the food source. Putting them out in the evening is best because its cooler and less stress for them. Some folks shake out a bunch at the base of each rose-- I prefer they go directly to the food source (aphids!)

Mangia!! Bon appetit!

[brewhaha]

I have a few ladybugs around but I still have aphids in my garden. I do two things for aphids.

I put a yellow plastic bowl filled halfway with water next to my plants. The aphids are drawn to the color yellow and when they go into the water, they drown.

I also but strips banana peel around the plant about 1/2" deep. Apparently, they don't like banana peels.

[pattypeep]

LOL. I bought some ladybugs a couple of weeks ago and felt so sorry for them, that I let them go that night. I hope at least a few of them stayed here.

[Another new name Sue]

You can spray them off with a hose too.

[Desertdi]

You can buy a non-poisonous detergent spray

[JustJazzmom]

On 5/13/2014 Desertdi said:

You can buy a non-poisonous detergent spray

Any insecticidal soap will also kill the ladybugs that might be on your roses as well as the aphids. I prefer to garden with as little chemicals as possible (they eventually end up either in our aquifers (where we get our water to drink) or in our waste streams and waterways (where we fish).

Ladybugs' larvae look very different from their parents so be on the look out for these insects too. They eat aphids too!

[fthunt]

I found sprays - water hoses - nothing worked for me because the aphids had such a head start before I even knew they were chewing. Roses were to the point of being beautiful and then destroyed petals and the rose buds were totally infested. These bugs hide beneath the petals and inside the bud area - chewing and chewing.

I finally gave up on roses - got tired of fighting the 'impossible'.

Less stress!