Remedy for Aphids

[carolg]

Got plenty of my own share of aphids. Growing in EB now, but still doesn't stop aphids visiting the plants.

Maybe I am not using enough soapy water.

Ladybugs few away in a few hours leaving behind massive amounts of aphids.

I got fresh garlic and may put that in blender with water and spray away. I can buy garlic seeds, but always heard garlic to the rescue so maybe with neem oil it could be the organic combo?

Aiming for organic only solution.

carolg co z5

[pdxwindjammer]

First time every growing eggplants and they were doing GREAT before my foot surgery! I was so excited to see little baby eggplants popping out!

I then spent a couple of weeks unable to tend to my garden while I recovered and now my 2 eggplants are crawling with aphids!

I threw some tomato leaves and garlic in a blender with some water and then let it stew for a few hours. Filled up my squirt bottle and drenched the plants. Two days later there are still a lot of aphids so I used the same concoction with some dish soap. It hasn't phased them yet but I will check again in an hour.

I think I may try the immersion method but I just don't know if I have anything large enough to immerse them in.

Any other organic remedies out there??

[Suze]

Surround (kaolin clay mixed with water and sprayed on plants) works great. It will also keep aphids from coming back as long as you periodically reapply the coating after heavy rains, on new growth, etc.

[maricybele]

I have been most successful overwintering peppers separately from my seedlings and giving the plant a severe pruneback and I hosed off the plant when aphids became a problem When the large plants were in the big room, the aphids had a field day with my seedlings and I lost nearly every seedling.

[beeman]

I had a problem with these and fungus gnats, took them all outside and sprayed ACT just once. All gone.
Incidentally one of my plum trees became infested early in the spring, one spray with ACT and no more problems.
I do wish more folks would give ACT a try, a lot of the problems would disappear.

[RinTinTin]

Fireplace (or BBQ) ashes dusted on the plants has been near 100% effective for me for many years. Just go back an hour or so later and hose off the ash and all of the dead aphids. Occasionally, I'll have to repeat in a day or two if more are in the area.

Aphids are attracted more to unhealthy plants than to healthy ones. They also appear to be mostly interested in new growth (must be easier to chew).

[mdvpc]

Bee:

What is ACT?

[beeman]

Originally Posted by mdvpc

Bee:
What is ACT?

Activated Compost Tea, or Aerated Compost tea depending on who you talk to.

[mdvpc]

Bee

Thx. I should have figured that out! I use it all the time. In fact, foliared my whole yard today with compost/alfalfa tea.

[Stepheninky]

Originally Posted by feldon30

Neem by itself isn't very powerful. But Neem + Pyrethrin is good stuff. They are both naturally derived (Neem from the Neem Tree, Pyrethrin from Chrysanthemums). It can be hard to find a concentrate of pyrethrin for a reasonable price or in a small quantity. Green Light here in Texas makes a product called Fruit Tree Spray which is really just a good concentrate of Neem and Pyrethrin and I use it on everything.

That is the product I use as well. Its good stuff think it has a third ingredient too but its safe to eat the fruits the next day with this product. Here is the description and active compounds


Green Light Fruit Tree Spray Concentrate
by Green Light

Broad spectrum insecticide and fungicide for the control of black spot, powdery mildew, rust, leaf spot, anthracnose, scab, and blight. Provides immediate knock down of insects like aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, scale, whiteflies, and beetles. Can be used up to the day of harvest on fruit and nut trees and ornamentals. Active ingredients: .25% Pyrethrins, 2.5% Piperonyl Butoxide, 70% Neem Oil. 1 pint container will make up to 16 gallon. Dilution rate: 2 tablespoons per gallon of water.

Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) is a pesticide synergist. It does not, by itself have pesticidal properties. However, when added to insecticide mixtures, typically pyrethrin, pyrethroid, and carbamate insecticides, their potency is increased considerably.[1]
Piperonyl butoxide is a potent cytochrome P450 and non-specific esterase inhibitor. These enzyme families act as the principal detoxification pathways for many pests, and so inhibiting them allows higher unmetabolised systemic concentrations of the active insecticide to remain within the target animal for a longer period.
Piperonyl butoxide is moderately stable, and is a semisynthetic derivative of safrole

[cushman350]

After glancing at your locations, aphids must be more of a problem in more humid areas because here in Wichita Falls, TX aphids are around on the wife's roses but not a problem for my toms. spider mites are the big pest here but not since chasing them with excessive moisture treatments.