I spent much time trying to spray aphids off plants with water. This never worked for me and I resorted to other methods. However it has come to my attention this year that I just didn't have the right hose end sprayer. I bought a few of the cheaper (blue colored here) ones that have about 7 choices of spray pattern. The customary green ones I was buying did not remove aphids no matter what pattern I used. The blue ones do. The 'shower' pattern on the blue one seems to have smaller and fewer holes than the green type and seem to spray the aphids off without damage even to open rose blooms. I was using Safers Insecticidal Soap spray from a plastic bottle followed by clear water, this too worked. But if I can leave one step out, I'm happy. I just hope it's true that once you spray them off, they can't climb back on the plant. Personally I have my doubts about this but am having problems identifying individual aphids for test purposes. Cathy Craig President PBS Maritime zone 9b > I'm eager for aphid control stories too especially if anyone has some > reliable ones that don't involve heavy duty poison control. I've used > things like pyrola and neem when I first have discovered aphids > every year > and neither gives as good control as I would like. The neem > didn't seem to > phase them.