If You See Aphids on Your Roses, Do This in the Next 24 Hours to Save Late-Season Blooms

Roses are at their peak blooming during the summer months – it is a time of celebration for rose lovers. It is also when aphids are active on roses and accumulating quickly. Thankfully, if you see them, there are some quick fixes to rid this rose pest so you don't lose out on flowers.

Aphids are a common sight when growing roses, with the sap-sucking pests attracted to fresh growth. They aren’t always hugely problematic, but can multiply quickly in the warm months, and you don’t want a small infestation to become a big problem. There are easy ways to tackle aphids that make an immediate difference (like using this insecticidal soap spray from Amazon), as well as longer-term thinking to control them as part of a natural, wildlife-friendly garden.

I spoke to a rose expert about the best ways to tackle aphids on roses. Here, he reveals two five-minute tasks that can stop numbers from building, as well as how to use companion planting and interplanting to prevent aphid populations from building up each season.

Why You Get Aphids on Roses

Roses attract several aphid species, with the most common being Macrosiphum rosae, the rose aphid. These rose pests are small, soft-bodied insects that come in a range of colors, including green, deep pink, or brown.

They are spring and summer garden pests that feed on new plant growth and produce a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew. Gardeners need to start checking for aphids from early spring onwards, as the pests are attracted to the fresh sap that roses produce.

Rose aphids can overwinter as eggs on the plants and hatch in spring. Large colonies develop quickly as the season progresses, often reaching their densest in July, when the roses are flowering.

Potential Issues With Aphids on Roses

Aphids congregate on leaves, stems, and flowers, often in large numbers. The pests have piercing mouthparts that suck sap from the plants. This stresses the plant and removes water and nutrients.

However, the good news is the sight of aphids on roses needn’t be a reason to panic. What is important is good management to prevent a major infestation occurring.

Aphids on roses can impact the foliage, which can curl or turn yellow. The honeydew the pests secrete also causes sooty mold. This common rose disease is a black fungal coating on leaves that impacts photosynthesis and can ultimately affect growth.

Liam Beddall, Head Rosarian at David Austin Roses, explains that aphids do affect roses, but are not usually a ‘significant issue’ when they are growing in a mixed garden, and the aphids are controlled.

While aphids on roses can be a nuisance, a shrub can often still flower while hosting some pests.

‘Aphids suck the sap from the fresh new growth, and over time, if there is no management, they can stunt growth and make the roses look unsightly,’ says Liam. ‘But it rarely reaches a severe stage when roses are planted amongst plants that attract lots of beneficial insects.’

‘They are particularly troublesome at the start of the season when the new growth on roses emerges, and the aphids are attracted to the sap, but as the season warms up and the beneficial insect numbers start to increase, aphids rarely become a big problem in a mixed garden setting,’ adds the rose expert.

‘Just remove the worst of them so you can enjoy your roses, and leave some to feed the beneficials in the food chain.’

It is advisable to check roses regularly in spring and summer for the signs of aphids. Look over the shoots, buds, and undersides of leaves, and keep your eyes peeled for black sooty mold or ants, which are attracted to the honeydew.

Liam Beddall

Liam is Head Rosarian at David Austin, and provides expert guidance to garden designers, landscapers, and horticultural professionals on incorporating roses into private and public gardens. With an RHS Level 2 qualification and a passion for companion planting, he combines technical knowledge and design expertise to promote biodiversity and thriving garden schemes.

How to Get Rid of Aphids on Roses

When you spot aphids on roses, it is best to act quickly to prevent an infestation from getting out of control. Thankfully, there are several simple ways to get rid of aphids that offer quick results.

Liam Beddall suggests two really easy ways to deal with small colonies of aphids and stop numbers from multiplying quickly. He says: ‘If numbers start to build, brush them off with your finger and thumb or blast them off with a hose pipe.’

It won’t sound glamorous, but you can put on a pair of gloves (get gardening gloves at Amazon) and squash small colonies of aphids between your finger and thumb. Or, as also suggested by Liam, a strong spray of water from a garden hose to areas where aphids congregate is enough to knock them off the plant.

Companion planting and interplanting roses are also a fantastic way to introduce natural predators that eat aphids. Having more insect predators and birds in the garden helps keep pest populations at a manageable level, without needing to use pesticides.

Liam highlights ladybugs (get live ladybugs at Amazon), hoverfly larvae, earwigs, and beetles as the top aphid predators, and recommends planting yarrow, cosmos, penstemon, marigolds, alyssum, and fennel to attract the most beneficial wildlife.

‘For birds, get yourself a shepherd’s hook bird feeder and move it around the garden next to your roses that have the most aphids; you will attract birds to your garden, and while they are there, they can feed on the aphids,’ he adds. You can get a 92-inch double shepherd’s hook bird feeder at Walmart.

Organic gardening approaches such as companion planting are always the best natural way to deal with aphids on roses. Aphids can be a worrying sight, but a natural, thriving garden can be enough to control them.

Alternatively, for a quick fix, there are organic products to control aphids on roses. You can use insecticidal soap (get a bottle of ready-to-use insecticidal soap at Walmart), neem oil, or a DIY aphid spray made of soap, garlic, or essential oils to combat aphids.

However, all of these must be used with care to avoid damaging any beneficial insects or pollinators in your garden.

Shop Flowers to Attract Aphid Predators

The summer can be challenging for both roses and gardeners. For the best flowers all season long, our guide to summer rose care highlights how to keep your plants blooming for longer during the warmest months.

If you love inspiring garden ideas, outdoor advice, and the latest news, why not sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox?