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pests Aphids are the Devil!

So I got home this afternoon after a two week long training course for work and found every single plant I have coated in aphids! I've got a couple of older plants that I had already saved from an infestation a couple months ago and they were coated. All of my seedlings for this next season are infested as well.

I tried to over winter a few plants for the first time this winter and ended up bringing the little devils in with the plants. Those plants didn't survive and I've been fighting them ever sense. I thought I had beat them but I realize I was oh so wrong!

I cleaned them all off in the sink, smashed all the ones I could find and hosed em all down with Neem. Wish me luck! I hope I can keep the aphids at Bay long enough to get these plants outside in the spring and let mother nature help fight them off.

Any suggestions on what else I could do would be most welcome. Also I can tell you this much, I think I'm done trying to over winter plants, not worth the headache with these aphids.
 
Chemicals.
If you are no-chemicals kind, try with dishwashing liquid mixed with water (yes, dishwashing liquid is also chemical.... but not that kind). It works on tose aphids on the plant, but will have no effect on new coming aphids, no remanent effect. Maybe should try on a single plant, dunno what kind of dishwashing liquids you have in US, not to harm all your plants.
 
Here are a few other methods for aphid infestations .....
 
aphid cure.JPG

 
 
 
Sinn said:
Order some ladybugs from amazon they will eat those bastards

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I plan to once I can put the plants outside.

I'm currently treating the with Neem and I trimmed back what I could of the larger plants. I've tried soapy water but with little to no positive results.

I haven't tried rubbing alcohol though. That seems pretty harsh. Won't it damage the plant?
 
Didn't a few of you mention growing plants you don't care about to attract the aphids and other insects so they'll leave your peppers alone?
 
FITN said:
I plan to once I can put the plants outside.

I'm currently treating the with Neem and I trimmed back what I could of the larger plants. I've tried soapy water but with little to no positive results.

I haven't tried rubbing alcohol though. That seems pretty harsh. Won't it damage the plant?
 

I have never tried the alcohol method......I have never had a bug problem....but im sure they just mean to use an alcohol soaked q-tip and just touch the aphids....that would be my last resort if I had to try any of these methods.
 
Right now all of the Kratky grown plants are soaking in warm soapy water. I'm going to do a bit more aphid smashing on the other soil grown seedlings here after a bit.
 
When I buy plants from the nursery I dump hydrogen peroxide into a bucket or wheelbarrow, fill it with water and chuck the plants in. Pot and all. Kils all kinds of nastys.., including good things in the soil but im transplanting right away anyhow. Few times ive doNe it the plants looked super happy afterwards.
 
D3monic said:
When I buy plants from the nursery I dump hydrogen peroxide into a bucket or wheelbarrow, fill it with water and chuck the plants in. Pot and all. Kils all kinds of nastys.., including good things in the soil but im transplanting right away anyhow. Few times ive doNe it the plants looked super happy afterwards.
Do you have a specific ratio you use? I may have to try that as a last resort.
 
FITN said:
Do you have a specific ratio you use? I may have to try that as a last resort.
I honestly dont remember, I typically dont measure things. Probably half a bottle of 3% in a 5 gal bucket. I recommend googling prior. Been a few years since Ive battled aphids. Ill never overwinter because of them
 
D3monic said:
I honestly dont remember, I typically dont measure things. Probably half a bottle of 3% in a 5 gal bucket. I recommend googling prior. Been a few years since Ive battled aphids. Ill never overwinter because of them
I've learned my lesson, I'll never over winter again. Thanks for the tips!
 
I have read a good few are successful at the over-winter/aphid game. That said, Im with you...I brought two ghosts in last fall and I am still fighting them. Even went so far as to put all plants in a tent with a bomb then put them in Azamax for 24 hours with a coating of Neem...they are still around.

I have composted a total of 6 grown plants at this point. Now I am in damage control for the rest of them....get to spring so they can all go outside and let the bugs feast. My personal lesson: outside plants are not inside plants.

Mother Nature was super cranky when she dreamed up aphids.
 
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