How to get rid of aphids?

Piwoslaw · 05-26-12, 06:17 AM

After this year's ultra-short winter and warm spring we have an invasion of aphids. They showed up much earlier then usual and the ladybugs don't seem to be prepared

Our mirabelle plum is getting the worst of it, it's like an aphid magnet, but the dogwood isn't much better.

I once read that spraying aphids with liquid soap dissolves their exoskeleton, but this barely works with our problem: new bugs are showing up daily.
Does anyone have any tried natural methods that keep aphids away? I need to get rid of them before dad-in-law pulls out the chemical armada.

herlichka · 05-26-12, 09:18 AM

At garden centres here you can buy products that contain "diatomacous earth", which is ground up remains of minute diatoms. This is a powder that has microscopic shards that shred the aphid's outer surfaces and they then dry up and die. Here in Canada, as in many place around the world, "green" insecticides and herbicides have become very big business, and if you wander around a store and look at the different products you can see some very innovative concepts in use. It seems that , here at least, the engine that has driven all this development is the banning of most of the conventional products that have been leaching in to the environment.
Good luck!

MN Renovator · 05-26-12, 11:34 AM

DE is used in pool filtration systems too, could probably get it far cheaper(probably in too much bulk) at a pool store than a garden center.

strider3700 · 05-26-12, 02:36 PM

DE will also kill the ladybugs when they show up. It kills anything with an exoskeleton. I just use soapy water twice a day every day if need be. It'll take a few weeks to get ahead of the aphids though.

herlichka · 05-27-12, 12:03 PM

I don't know if the ladybugs will stick around long if there are no aphids to attract them. Besides, rain rinses the DE away pretty quickly, and has to be reapplied when the plant dries; it could be used as a stepping stone measure to get ahead of the aphids, and then a regimen of soapy water can be used to maintain. You are right though, it takes a bit of common sense and planning to effectively use "alternative" products and methods.

Exalta-STA · 05-27-12, 12:47 PM

I'm going to try this in a few hours...the aphids are killing my pepper and tomato plants..

Heirloom Pesticides: Fighting Aphids the Old-Fashioned Way | tulipsinthewoods.com

I'm going to boil some tobacco leaves

Daox · 05-28-12, 08:58 AM

DE is a very good product, I have used it before. But it is not one that you can apply once, and walk away. It takes consistent, and regimented application to be effective. If you want a simple and cheap way to battle aphids, or even mealy bug, I would throw a small amount of rubbing alcohol in with your soapy water mix. This also requires some kind of consistency, but it is easy. Be careful about the kinds of dish soup you are using. I am not sure of the brands that you have in Poland, but the "green" brands (method, seventh gen.) won't cut it. Dove isn't strong enough either, it doesn't have a high enough phosphate level. Dawn is the best bet, but stay away from the line with the bleach additive. In Wisconsin, the phosphate levels are regulated in soaps and detergents, but I am not sure about other parts of the world. Polmolive, in my experience, has too high of a phosphate level and both scorches the leaves and coats them to such a degree that in inhibits photosynthesis.

As far as the rubbing alcohol goes, use it in very small amounts, especially if your plant is getting full sun all day. Make sure that you are spraying the underside of the leaves, and the stems, as that is where aphids tend to camp out.

Also, this is Daox's wife, not Daox. As credibility goes, I have been a tropical plant technician for five years, and battle aphids on a regular basis.

Exalta-STA · 05-28-12, 11:29 AM

Too bad DE isn't available here....

Just finished spraying my pepper plant with tobacco water...well what I did was get a couple of free packs of Lucky Strikes at the membership shopping center...unfortunately they were menthol. I heated a saucepan with liter of water in it, put in the tobacco contained inside 4 cigarettes, boiled them till the water was like dark tea.

I then cooled it down, ran them through a strainer and sprayed the tobacco "tea" to the aphids underneath the leaves...

Well, I just hope I haven't sentenced my pepper plant to death. Will keep you updated on its effects.

Piwoslaw · 05-28-12, 02:05 PM

I sprayed the little buggers yesterday with diluted dish soap. This morning they weren't moving, so I blasted them with the hose and Mrs P sprayed more soap in the evening. Hopefully the mirabelle plum will survive.
I've noticed quite a few ladybird larvae on the dogwood, so we didn't spray it as we're not sure if the soap would harm the ladybirds. Maybe not since aphids are softer than other bugs.

The dish soap I used is called Ludwik (the most popular brand here in Poland). I have no idea how what its phosphate content is, but in the past I've never noticed it harming the leaves. It also has a mint scent, which aphids apparently don't like (according to Wikipedia). It also makes the plants smell fresh

I read somewhere that burying banana peels under the aphid-ificated plant helps, but we haven't tried that yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daox

Also, this is Daox's wife, not Daox. As credibility goes, I have been a tropical plant technician for five years, and battle aphids on a regular basis.

Mrs Chrissy, iirc? I'm honored

Exalta-STA · 05-29-12, 07:48 AM

Glad your technique worked great! My tobacco "tea" worked quite great also..used it last night and When I checked the undersides of the leaves this morning, the white flies turned black and the plant itself looks unharmed by the spray...

05-26-12, 06:17 AM	#1
Piwoslaw Super Moderator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 961 Thanks: 188 Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts	How to get rid of aphids? After this year's ultra-short winter and warm spring we have an invasion of aphids. They showed up much earlier then usual and the ladybugs don't seem to be prepared Our mirabelle plum is getting the worst of it, it's like an aphid magnet, but the dogwood isn't much better. I once read that spraying aphids with liquid soap dissolves their exoskeleton, but this barely works with our problem: new bugs are showing up daily. Does anyone have any tried natural methods that keep aphids away? I need to get rid of them before dad-in-law pulls out the chemical armada. __________________ Ecorenovation - the bottomless piggy bank that tries to tame the energy hog.

05-28-12, 08:58 AM	#7
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	DE is a very good product, I have used it before. But it is not one that you can apply once, and walk away. It takes consistent, and regimented application to be effective. If you want a simple and cheap way to battle aphids, or even mealy bug, I would throw a small amount of rubbing alcohol in with your soapy water mix. This also requires some kind of consistency, but it is easy. Be careful about the kinds of dish soup you are using. I am not sure of the brands that you have in Poland, but the "green" brands (method, seventh gen.) won't cut it. Dove isn't strong enough either, it doesn't have a high enough phosphate level. Dawn is the best bet, but stay away from the line with the bleach additive. In Wisconsin, the phosphate levels are regulated in soaps and detergents, but I am not sure about other parts of the world. Polmolive, in my experience, has too high of a phosphate level and both scorches the leaves and coats them to such a degree that in inhibits photosynthesis. As far as the rubbing alcohol goes, use it in very small amounts, especially if your plant is getting full sun all day. Make sure that you are spraying the underside of the leaves, and the stems, as that is where aphids tend to camp out. Also, this is Daox's wife, not Daox. As credibility goes, I have been a tropical plant technician for five years, and battle aphids on a regular basis. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-26-12, 09:18 AM	#2
herlichka Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada Posts: 102 Thanks: 11 Thanked 15 Times in 10 Posts	At garden centres here you can buy products that contain "diatomacous earth", which is ground up remains of minute diatoms. This is a powder that has microscopic shards that shred the aphid's outer surfaces and they then dry up and die. Here in Canada, as in many place around the world, "green" insecticides and herbicides have become very big business, and if you wander around a store and look at the different products you can see some very innovative concepts in use. It seems that , here at least, the engine that has driven all this development is the banning of most of the conventional products that have been leaching in to the environment. Good luck!

05-26-12, 11:34 AM	#3
MN Renovator Less usage=Cheaper bills Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 939 Thanks: 41 Thanked 116 Times in 90 Posts	DE is used in pool filtration systems too, could probably get it far cheaper(probably in too much bulk) at a pool store than a garden center.

05-26-12, 02:36 PM	#4
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	DE will also kill the ladybugs when they show up. It kills anything with an exoskeleton. I just use soapy water twice a day every day if need be. It'll take a few weeks to get ahead of the aphids though.

05-27-12, 12:03 PM	#5
herlichka Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada Posts: 102 Thanks: 11 Thanked 15 Times in 10 Posts	I don't know if the ladybugs will stick around long if there are no aphids to attract them. Besides, rain rinses the DE away pretty quickly, and has to be reapplied when the plant dries; it could be used as a stepping stone measure to get ahead of the aphids, and then a regimen of soapy water can be used to maintain. You are right though, it takes a bit of common sense and planning to effectively use "alternative" products and methods.

05-27-12, 12:47 PM	#6
Exalta-STA Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2012 Location: Philippines Posts: 107 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	I'm going to try this in a few hours...the aphids are killing my pepper and tomato plants.. Heirloom Pesticides: Fighting Aphids the Old-Fashioned Way \| tulipsinthewoods.com I'm going to boil some tobacco leaves

05-28-12, 11:29 AM	#8
Exalta-STA Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2012 Location: Philippines Posts: 107 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Too bad DE isn't available here.... Just finished spraying my pepper plant with tobacco water...well what I did was get a couple of free packs of Lucky Strikes at the membership shopping center...unfortunately they were menthol. I heated a saucepan with liter of water in it, put in the tobacco contained inside 4 cigarettes, boiled them till the water was like dark tea. I then cooled it down, ran them through a strainer and sprayed the tobacco "tea" to the aphids underneath the leaves... Well, I just hope I haven't sentenced my pepper plant to death. Will keep you updated on its effects.

05-29-12, 07:48 AM	#10
Exalta-STA Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2012 Location: Philippines Posts: 107 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Glad your technique worked great! My tobacco "tea" worked quite great also..used it last night and When I checked the undersides of the leaves this morning, the white flies turned black and the plant itself looks unharmed by the spray...