Welcome to the Garden Ninja Gardening Forum! If you have a gardening question that you can't find answers to then ask below to seek help from the Garden Ninja army! Please make your garden questions as specific and detailed as possible so the community can provide comprehensive answers in the online forum below.

Welcome to the ultimate beginner gardening and garden design forum! Where no gardening question is too silly or obvious. This online gardening forum is run by Lee Burkhill, the Garden Ninja from BBC 1's Garden Rescue and a trusted group of experienced gardeners.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert gardener, it's a safe place to ask garden-related questions for garden design or planting. If you have a problem in your garden or need help, this is the Garden Forum for you!

Posting Rules: This space is open for all garden-related questions. Please be polite, courteous and respectful. If you wouldn't say it to your mum's face, then don't post it here. Please don't promote, sell, link spam or advertise here. Please don't ask for 'cheeky' full Garden redesigns here. They will be deleted.

If you need a garden design service, please use this page to book a design consultation. I will block anyone who breaks these rules or is discourteous to the Garden Ninja Community.

Join the forum below with your gardening questions!

Ask a Gardening QuestionBeginner Gardening Questions & Guides: First time gardener questionsGetting rid of Greenflies

Please or Register to create posts and topics.

Getting rid of Greenflies

#1 · 3rd May 2023, 4:11 pm

Good afternoon, I need help with my roses planted as bare root late last year. Noticed today they are full of green flies not sure where to start getting rid of these. I live in the countryside near a farm and all my neighbours have said they always get these every year(I’m fairly new to country living)

#2 · 4th May 2023, 7:13 am

Hi @lynnem1

Firstly welcome to country side living. While greenflies, rabbits and deer maybe new found pests, lets take a moment to be thankful for how lucky we are to have countryside outdoor spaces! I, too, felt a bit overwhelmed by the new host of issues I was dealing with when I 'left urban gardens' for the great countryside! But don't panic; I've got some advice for you!

The way I deal with greenfly is twofold. I either use companion plants that greenfly hate the smell of or home made sprays.

Companion plants to deter greenfly

The first is the companion plant Chives. Greenfly will avoid these and other garlic oniony smells like the plague! Chives are super easy to grow from seed, and once you've got some, you'll have them forever, as they are prolific self-seeders.

The second is Marigolds also known as Tagetes. Yes, they are a bit brash and hard to plant with but they deter many flies and other plant pests with their strong scent.

Home Made Green Fly Spray:

The other method is to make your own non-toxic fly spray. You can either mix 1/10 washing up liquid with water and spray it over the flies, which blocks their breathing spiracles, effectively suffocating them.

Or you can brew your own garlic spray, which stinks and causes them to go else where! Simply crush an entire bulb of garlic. Stew with 500ml of water. Then strain. Add to a spray bottle and spray said plants each week so the greenfly never take up residency.

Here are some other guides to help with rose pruning and my bareroot rose guide for other new gardeners.