I'm at war with Aphids and they seem to be winning, any suggestions?

Question

I have 6 hanging baskets with pansies hanging on my balcony. They are infested with aphids and are sucking the life out of my plants. I have sprayed them twice this week with a soap and water solution which has reduced their numbers but has also killed all of my blooms. The blooms will come back quick enough but I want to be rid of the aphids soon and stop them from coming back. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

According to my book, "Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs, adult lady beetles, soldier beetles, and the larvae of lady beetles, lacewings, and certain flies or insecticidal soap which, however, would also kill the insects that are the aphids natural enemies.

Answer 2

Soap is not needed, since it's the water that drowns the aphids. Pansy's are pretty stable plants, so they can take a few rough squirts of water that you'll need to do to knock the aphids off of them.



This time of year, home stores are selling ladybugs. Get some netting (like a 10 pound onion bag) and put the lady bugs in it, then cover the pansy's with it...this will allow the ladybugs to eat all the aphids and they wont all fly away. Move them to the other plants after a couple days.

Answer 3

Ladybugs really work and are cheap. Let them go at night and you will be shocked at how fast your aphid problem is controled.



If you want to spray something, the most effective thing I have found is, and I am not making this up. A solution made by soaking cigaret butts or Cigars in water. The water looks like a tea and should look like a light tea. Spray that on your roses and you can kill them. If you are a smoker or have a buddy that smokes, you will have ample supply of butts.



The Ladybugs would be my first choice and if you have a heavy infestation they will stay in the area.

Answer 4

I use a product called Home Defense ( in the green bottle) It can be used on the inside and outside the house. I spray the aphids and boom they are gone with no harm to the plant. Read product directions. You will find that the aphids show up after windy or damp weather, so you can't get rid of them forever but this will cut down on the frequency.

Answer 5

Biological controls are available here: http://rinconvitova.com/aphid%20control.htm. If you get ladybugs make sure they have been preconditioned or they will fly away. I love lacewig larva as a biological control because it feeds on a wide range of garden pests and seems to be more *active* than ladybugs. You can order the eggs and just stick them on your plants. Until then, a strong stream of water directed at your uninvited guests should mitigate the problem long enough for beneficial bugs to get going.

Answer 6

Buy a can of aphid spray. Spray the inside of a plastic bag. Wrap the bag around each plant and seal the bag with a tie enclosure. After a week all the aphids will be dead. Remove the bag to the trash.

Answer 7

Ladybugs. I'm not kidding. You can buy bags full of ladybugs. Dump them on the plants. It's like dropping the football team off at the all you can eat buffet. Aphids will be gone in no time, then the ladybugs leave. Try plant stores and greenhouses - not the outdoor departments at K or Wal mart

Answer 8

http://www.homestead.com/ipmofalaska/files/aphids.html

Above site has much useful information.



Additionally, here is info from the book, "Grandmother's Kritter Ridder" by Dr, Myles H. Bader (I bought mine from QVC).



Paraphrased/ page 56:



Aphids will suffocate if sprayed with cooking oil. Make spray by adding 1 teaspoon of insecticidal soap and 1/2 teaspoon of cooking oil to 1 quart of water. You can also use commercial spray such as Pam.



Soak 15 mature Marigold plants in 5 pints of boiled water. Cool. Add 3 drops of liquid soap. Strain and spray plant.



Tea (CAMMELIA SINENSIS), high in caffeine, makes a great spray. Then sprinkle the used tea leaves as a top dressing on the soil.



Tomato LEAVES and STEMS spray. 2 cups tomato leaves and stems and 1 quart of water. Grind up the parts in a food processor with water. Let stand over night. Strain, then add 2 more cups of water.



Other ideas for combatting aphids are in the book, also, but these seemed best for your particular problem.



EDIT: Here is a link to Garden's Alive! which is a company speacializing in natural solutions for home and garden. The link is for Ladybugs:

http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=5065

Answer 9

If the "soap and water" spray is something you made yourself, it's possible there's too much soap in it, and depending on what else is in the soap you used, may be hurtful to the plants.



Go buy a commerically prepared insecticidal soap spray. The active ingredient will be "Pottasium salts of fatty acids". Once made from neem oil will also work.



Should obliterate the aphids, and not harm your plants a lick.

Answer 10

Repelling herbs with them such as chives, garlic, basil, corriander (you can use them in cooking too). Apparently aphids live in ant colonies and need them to survive (ants give them protection), so if you have any ant nest near by, get them exterminated. Catmint has pretty flowers and repels aphids.Marigolds are great. Pyrethrum, chrysanthemum are good too.



If you plant Nasturtium in one basket, all of the aphids will go only to that plant as they find it irresistable and leave every other plant alone. They have pretty bright orange flowers too (the leaves catch water that sits on the leaf like mercury).



Encouraging insects that like to eat aphids is a great way to get rid of unwanted aphids - but this only works if you aren't using pesticides (they kill and repell these bugs too). Many insects prey on aphids, including certain wasps, lady beetles (both larvae and adults), and larvae of lacewings and syrphid flies. You can encourage them by growing flowers that provide nectar and pollen like yarrow, parsley, cilantro, and sweet alyssum.



Reflective mulches (link below) are also said to repel aphids. A natural spray made from wormwood is supposed to kill them too (recipe link below).

Answer 11

Go online at gardening zone. They sell ladybugs for 6.50.

My jade is being eaten by aphids and I am ordering from them.

Answer 12

Seven dust usually will stop them however if there are other plants close by they too may be harboring the pests and needs a light dusting as well. Also I'd recommend squishing the pests between your fingers whenever possible.

Answer 13

The larva of the Harvester Butterfly eats aphids, and, once hatched are pretty, too!

Answer 14

Ladybugs.

Answer 15

get a bottle of bug-b-gon amx, the one that attaches to ur hose is easier to apply and spray the plants..... u win! it's cheap and easier then u think... just a few $ and victory will be urs..... after the first application u'll be over on ur swing sipping sweet tea watching ur beautiful flowers grow without one pest on them!

Answer 16

try introducing lady bugs,they love to snack on aphids!

Answer 17

i thought that the soapy water solution should work, but maybe try dish water, after you wash dishes, it might be diluted just a little bit to NOT effect the blooms.

Answer 18

squirt somw soapie water on them

Answer 19

get some ladybugs.

Answer 20

chillie pepper, seven dust ,