10 Natural Ways to Control Rose Aphids

Small pink or green bugs on your rosebuds may be rose aphids. They often gather on new shoots, buds, and young leaves.

A few aphids usually will not harm a healthy rose bush. Lady beetles and other helpful insects may eat them. If you see large groups or twisted new growth, these steps can help reduce their numbers [1, 2].

How to Identify Rose Aphids

Rose aphids are small, soft insects. Many are green or pink. Look for them on new shoots, flower buds, and the undersides of young leaves.

You may also notice sticky leaves. Aphids leave behind a sugary liquid called honeydew. Black sooty mold can grow on it. When many aphids feed on a rose, its new leaves or shoots may curl or grow out of shape [1, 2].

How to Get Rid of Rose Aphids Naturally

Check your roses often as new leaves and buds grow.

Start with the steps that do not require a spray. Then check the plants again in a few days to see whether you need to do more.

1. Remove Small Groups by Hand

If you find just a few aphids, wipe them off the shoots and buds with your fingers. You can wear gloves if you prefer.

Look closely at the tips of new growth. Aphids often gather there, so you may be able to remove a group before their numbers grow [1].

2. Wash Them Off With Water

Use a hose to spray aphids off your rose bush. Aim a firm stream of water at the shoots and leaves where you see them. Take care around tender buds and flowers.

Check the rose again in a few days and repeat if needed. Spraying early in the day gives the leaves time to dry.

3. Prune a Heavily Covered Shoot

If aphids cover one shoot, you may find it easier to cut that shoot off. Put it in a bag and remove it from the garden.

This can also help when curled leaves shelter the aphids from water or sprays. There is no need to cut off large parts of the bush for a small aphid problem.

4. Check for Ants

Do you see ants walking up and down an aphid-covered rose? Some ants feed on the sticky honeydew and protect aphids from insects that would eat them.

Look for branches that touch nearby plants or other surfaces and give ants another route onto the rose. If you can move or trim those branches without harming the plants, doing so may help aphid predators reach the bush [2].

5. Avoid Too Much Fertilizer

Follow the directions on your rose fertilizer. Do not add extra in the hope of getting more flowers.

Too much nitrogen can help aphid numbers grow. Feed your roses only as needed, and avoid giving them more fertilizer than the label recommends.

6. Protect Insects That Eat Aphids

Lady beetles, lacewing larvae, and hoverfly larvae all feed on aphids. Look for these helpful insects before you spray your roses.

Give them time to work when the aphid problem is small. Even a spray sold for organic gardening can harm a helpful insect if it lands on it [2, 3].

7. Grow Flowers for Helpful Insects

Different kinds of flowers can provide food for insects that help control aphids. Choose plants that grow well in your area and bloom at different times.

Flowers will not keep every aphid away. They can help make your garden a better place for insects that eat aphids.

8. Use Insecticidal Soap

If hosing the rose does not help enough, try an insecticidal soap labeled for roses and aphids.

Follow the product label and spray the aphids directly. Check the rose again later, since the soap will not keep new aphids from arriving.

Do not replace insecticidal soap with dish soap. Dish detergents may damage leaves.

Avoid spraying when the rose is dry and stressed, or the weather is very hot [2, 4].

9. Try a Labeled Neem Oil Product

Neem oil products can help control aphids.

Choose one labeled for roses and aphids. Follow its directions for mixing, spraying, and repeating the treatment.

The oil needs to cover the aphids to work well. Do not add dish soap or guess how much oil to use.

Avoid spraying a rose that is stressed by heat or lack of water.

10. Use Horticultural Oil

Horticultural oil is another option if aphid numbers stay high. Choose a product labeled for roses and aphids, and follow its directions for covering the insects.

Read the label’s temperature warnings before you spray. Oil can harm some plants when it is very hot or when the plants are stressed by lack of water. You may need to repeat the treatment if aphids return.

Takeaway

You do not need to get rid of every aphid on your roses. Start by checking new growth, removing small groups, and washing larger groups off with water.

Give helpful insects a chance to eat the aphids. If their numbers keep growing, use a product labeled for roses and follow its directions.