Hi. I can not get rid of aphids on my roses and they are sucking the life out of them. I have tried 4 different aphid sprays as well as dishwater every 2 weeks last summer yet they did not die and now they are on my new roses. They are all in pots and have been well fed and watered and planted in rose mix. Any solutions please?

Hi Sandra, if aphids are a problem then think about where the roses are planted - are they in the best position, is the pot big enough for the type of rose being grown, are they regularly watered (two or three deep (long) watering’s a week rather than five sprinklings of water). Regularly fertilise (in spring and autumn after flowering) using a controlled release fertiliser such as Tui Enrich Roses and mulch around the pots in spring and autumn to conserve moisture – Tui Mulch & Feed it good for this. Do they get at least five hours of sunshine a day (when the sun is shining?). If you keep your plants healthy, well watered and well fed they will build up a natural resistance to pests and diseases. This can also be helped by using Tui Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic which will strengthen the cell wall of the plant so plants can withstand pest and disease attack. Seaweed Plant Tonic can be used as a foliar spray or soil drench. In regards to sprays, it is good to alternate sprays so that insects don’t build up a resistance to the insecticide.