aphids + soap spray + sun = dying roses :(

[SparkyUK]

We have a new garden that has a pergola going down the fence line and this winter we planted about 10 roses and a series of raspberry canes along it. Went out Saturday and saw that one of the roses had withered away and on closer insepction saw that it had aphids. I spent basically all of sunday going over all the roses (plus an extra 4 scattered around the rest of the garden) trying to hand pick off the fuckers bugs and spraying the leaves with a water + fairy liquid.

The next day the bug count was down significantly, but the leaves were all looking really droopy and sad. We rinsed the leaves but the next day aphids were back (still, not in their original numbers) so we did a lighter spraying and now they just all look on the brink of collapse.

I don't know if I'm over reacting but I really don't want my babies all dying off. We've watered them as well but hoping you all have some good advice or failing that, if someone can break the news to me gently that a recovery is unlikely.

if aphids have been on the leaves they will be sad as all the sap will have been drunk from them. own brand washing up liquid is fine, so can't imagine fairy would be any different. with dry weather and new roses i would probably give a good long water occassionally if i was feeling conscientious - to be honest i'm a bit lapse with watering and most things seem to survive (except things in pots).

give them a while and they will probably be fine. keep an eye but blackspot if weather is wet

So most of the leaves have dropped off now. It's so sad looking at these bare twiggies sticking out of the ground. There is still some new growth at the bottom, and ha ha, the aphides are gone now that there isn't any sap to suck. Should I just keep watering the remains?

did you give a good slow releasing feed under your roses when you planted the m first?

I seem to remember that this was needed to help them establish their roots

The area was well composted and we added some blood and guts into the mix along with some root-gro. The roses were all flourishing until the aphids came. I can't believe they did that much damage in so little time though - inless it was my overzealous spraying with soapy water that did it.

They do seem to still be alive though - I'm just upset at them having regressed so far :(

did you do it in hot sun? i think i read somewhere its better to spray early morning/evenings. I can't imagine this would cause serious damage though

blood and bones. I meant blood and bones. This experience has been way too horrifying for me obviously.

Re spraying, it was late in the afternoon but just when the weather turned really hot and I was very zealous so the next night I washed the roses off with regular water and the puddles formed were soapy. So maybe it was just too much shock at once.

I ruined my very first beautiful roses with soapy water, too. sprayed the heck out of the blossoms and leaves before I even saw bugs, since they ruined my hydrangea last year. SO SAD since I rarely invest in plants and these were so pretty.

BUT I went online and studied up, bought a clipper, pruned the branches back and guess what, I have new growth and blossoms coming!

However, I see the aphids as well.

Maybe I'll try a natural soap and not spray the roses themselves.

It's so hard to spray the underside! any tips?

I remember my Dad telling me never to use fairy liquid for spraying aphids because it kills plants! Not that we buy it anyway but he has a story about someone on his allotment who did this and lost all his beans. Cheap own brand stuff is ok, I think. I use Ecover.