I have an indoor rose bush, with too many green flies.?

Question

Ok so my rose bush has alwayd got green flies on the buds every day, i have to pick them off. I dont want to use pesticides, is there any natural way to get rid of green flies? I live in london, and the rose bush is kept by the window and receives light and i water it regularly.

Also, i am unsure of how to give 10 points for the best answer, any help or instructions of how to do this.

Answer 1

Those are not green flies ,they are aphids and you can kill them if you spray some dish soap and water mixture on the rose bush, or you can buy and insecticide soap at the garden centre.

Answer 2

You can spray them with a solution of 2 teaspoons dish or laundry soap to a bottle of warm water.  They especially like the underside of leaves so be sure to spray there.  And don't fertilize too much because this is what attracts the aphids.

Answer 3

the two answers before me are correct,only you have to use the soapy water,then you tie a plastic bag over the flowers and leave it over night,then next morning you take the bag off and sprinkle sevin powder on it ,this works,have fun and good luck....

Answer 4

Try vacuuming the flies off the bush.  (You may refer to this as "hoovering", I think.  I'm not up on all the UK euphemisms).

Otherwise, try a light dusting of Sevin.  It also comes in a liquid form that you can mist on.  It's very effective.

Answer 5

Personally I wouldn't pick the aphids off, I'd squish them.  I haven't the patience. I wouldn't use Sevin (Carbaryl) in the house as I don't want to be around it 24/7.  If the plant is in a pot, take it to the sink or tub and give it a bath.  Dish soap and water is fine.  In fact if it is small enough, just turn it upside down (HOLD the root ball in the pot) and swish the tops around in the soapy water.  Rinse.  Do this daily for a week and you should break the reproduction cycle.

Bright yellow plastic coated with petroleum jelly...lightly so the yellow shows thru....is a attractant and trap.  Put near rose.  Scrape off the captured critters every so often.