Hello again everyone. I hope you are all enjoying the last of spring. As usual I have another problem..this time its with my Rose Of Sharon Bushes. They have been doing well, until now. They have these VERY little bugs all over the leaves, it almost looks like the leaves are turning black until you get very close and look at them. The bugs almost look like Aphids, but are black in color. Any ideas? I lost all my rose bushes this spring and the Rosa Of Sharon is all I have left. If they die I am just going to put up a plastic fence and that is the end of my flower career! Thank you for any help. I did spray them today with a mixture of liquid soap and water. Moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic
Why did your Roses die? Maybe they will come back at ground level. You shouldn't uproot them until your sure.
Do they move or are they pretty stationary? If they are tiny and jump there may be flea beetles on it, but I suspect it is aphids. A strong spray of water may be enough to knock them off. Watch for ants harvesting the "nectar" the aphids secrete.. they will attack you if you even touch the bush.
When reading your description of those little black bugs APHIDS is the fist thing that popped into my head. I have had infestations of black aphids on my willow trees. Most effective way I've had to treat them because of their height is with a systemic bug killer. Just mix in water and pour around base of trees. The tree absorbs it and kills the bugs sucking the life out of the poor tree, shrub or plant.
I don't usually do anything about aphids on outdoor plants unless they are on a bud I that can't bear to not see open, in which case they can be removed with fingers & water. Systemic 'cides can also poison the "good guys," the predators that eat things like aphids. I see them on Gardenias sometimes and the next time I think to look, they are gone. Nature will handle things if given a chance.
Puepleinopp, I agree for the most part about using pesticides but find I am left with pretty much no other option when dealing with a 20 - 30 ft. Tree. I just can't seem to work up the nerve to try and climb up a ladder, balance myself and pluck and wash off tiny little bugs that are sucking the life out of a tree I have spent 25 years growing. But again that is just my outlook on this situation.
