No roses without aphids.

The roses in my garden are responding enormously to the sunny spring weather. Alas all those fresh green leaves are immediately covered with aphids. Fortunately I know an effective method to combat them.

In the early years of my garden career I had no green fingers at all. Therefore I asked my grandfather a tip how to combat aphids.

"Aphids?" My grandfather said: "You only have to be sure you catch the first one.” What kind of advice was that? A little confused, I went home. Catch the first aphid? There were thousands of them! As always I started spraying with a mix of alcohol and soapy water to get rid of them.

Because I am not a very patient garden woman however, after some time I stopped making soapy mixtures to combat aphids. As the garden progressed I simply did not have enough time to go on with that method. Nowadays, if I see aphids during my daily tour through the garden, I simply squeeze them between thumb and forefinger. By doing so you will have the plague under control within a week.

The other day I suddenly realized that that was exactly what my grandfather told me to do.   "Catch the first aphid".

I have been doing this for many years now. And is that not a very organic and eco way to combat aphids? Of course I am also helped a lot by the ladybugs, the great tits and the wasps. Those animals love aphids for lunch.

As I tell this story to the visitors of my garden they really are horrified. But I do not care because it works.

And pinching aphids, that’s what gives you really green fingers!

                                    Information about my garden click here:

Summer, Rosa Fatin Latour, without aphids. 

Spring. Fresh leaves. Rosa Marie Pavic.

Dew on rose leaves

Aphids on a rose.

Help is on its way! Ladybug.