topic Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS?? in Garden

HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

DiAnne — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 21:49:02 GMT

I am having major destruction by aphids this year. I noticed a few on the heads of lilies and sprayed them off with hose as I usually do. Yesterday I had to throw away two hanging baskets because of aphids and noticed today I will have to toss another. Is there anything I can spray to get rid of them?

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

JustJazzmom — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 21:54:17 GMT

I prefer the organic way using ladybugs to eat them but when you use insecticidal soap (the one created for killing insects and contain no dyes or perfumes) you might also kill the beneficial insects too.

You can also squish them with your gloved fingers too to get rid of them.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

ennui1 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 21:55:48 GMT

I agree, ladybugs!

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

Laurel013 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 22:22:27 GMT

Ditto...an organic only program is the way to go...blast of water and insecticial soap...keep plants healthy with organic fertilizers.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

DiAnne — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:15:14 GMT

I cannot use the water method on these hanging baskets. Can't decide whether to replant them - not much left at the nursery I went to today. I sprayed my window boxes and other pots on my patio. I used a lot of verbena in my baskets this year - I wonder if aphids really like them?

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

brewhaha — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:21:12 GMT

Aphids are the bane of my vegetable garden. Try putting a half-full yellow plastic cup or bowl of water near the plants. Aphids are attracted to the color yellow and when they go in the water, they will drown.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

LTT1 — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:57:04 GMT

can you spray the plants with a mixture of Dawn and water? I am trying suggestions from the boards here (THANK YOU!) and so far, everything works! Aphid control was mentioned.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

poshmini — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 21:37:59 GMT

I usually get them on my roses, I was told to plant garlic around the plants, they hate the smell or the taste that gets into the ground and into the root systems of the roses. and yes it does work, and a very natural way in doing so.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

JustJazzmom — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 22:39:05 GMT

On 6/30/2014 brewhaha said:
Aphids are the bane of my vegetable garden. Try putting a half-full yellow plastic cup or bowl of water near the plants. Aphids are attracted to the color yellow and when they go in the water, they will drown.

You can also use those yellow garden tags (for whitefly infestations too) available from larger nurseries. I noticed that my golden yellow gallardia (blanket flowers) that I USED to have attracted white flies. Once I got rid of them, no more white flies in the garden. Aphids do have the ability to fly.

Lovestoteach, I'm not a fan of using dish detergent which contains dyes and perfumes as an insecticidal soap. There are concentrates of insecticidal soap available to purchase or ready to spray products available.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

mousiegirl — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 16:27:45 GMT

Ants will take care of them, and we have plenty of those! I actually watched an army of ants carrying aphids in a line, one after the other. After that, I viewed ants differently.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

cookie16 — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 16:42:20 GMT

On 6/30/2014 lovestoteach said:
can you spray the plants with a mixture of Dawn and water? I am trying suggestions from the boards here (THANK YOU!) and so far, everything works! Aphid control was mentioned.

I have used Dawn detergent for many years and it does work. Take a spray bottle, add water and a little Dawn and the aphids are gone. I had a mini rose plant infested with the aphids, sprayed a couple of times and the plant looked great. Be sure to cover the top and bottom of the leaves and also the stems. We use Dawn to kill stink bugs too. Make a bottle of water and Dawn ( a good amount in the bottle) and when you see a stink bug on your walls, curtains or anywhere you don't want to squish them (they really stink) then slide the bottle under them - into the bottle they go and the Dawn gets on their wings - and dead. Using a bottle with a neck, like an orange juice bottle, works best. It also gives you extra height. I keep a couple of bottles ready for these situations. By the way, you use the Dawn for dishes so no waste there.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

MaxieMoo88 — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 16:45:21 GMT

spray bottle with dish soap and water

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

DiAnne — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 23:18:30 GMT

I wasn't going to replace my baskets but it looked so bare. Went to Lowe's and they had red and white baskets for the fourth. I bought two - going to take them out of plastic pots and put into my moss baskets. My color scheme this year is red and pink so red and white is close.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

Dorothy11 — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 00:58:49 GMT

This year, I tried a hot pepper spray wax. It's all natural and contains capsaicin. It doesn't harm plants, but makes them inedible for insects.

Seems to be working well.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

Gogos — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 01:17:51 GMT

On 6/30/2014 poshmini said:
I usually get them on my roses, I was told to plant garlic around the plants, they hate the smell or the taste that gets into the ground and into the root systems of the roses. and yes it does work, and a very natural way in doing so.

Never heard of that but you might try worm castings. Any good nursery has them. Spread all over the ground and a little past what you think is the root system. Keep and eye on them and when you no longer see them, add more. This is EXCELLENT for white fly. We had the most horrible infestation of white fly with what looked like LONG whiskers under our leaves. A wonder nursery owner told us about it. Within six months the tree leaves were shining and glossy, no white flies and the plant LOVED them. You cannot use too much it is natural fertilizer. Not sure if Aphids will respond like the white flies but what do you have to lose?

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

JustJazzmom — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 14:51:50 GMT

Never heard of using worm castings (their frass) as a repellant for white fly. I know its used as an organic fertilizer.

Re: HOW DO YOU GET RID OF APHIDS??

gonnab — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 15:39:50 GMT

Must be an aphid summer - I was infested with them, as was my neighbor. I finally threw away my window boxes (well, not the planters themselves, just the contents) and replanted. My neighbor is trying to save hers but without any success so far. She's been trying a commercial insecticide and it's killing her plant.