So, I overwintered some plants, and that led to aphids. My question is if I were to take the plants back out side in the cold weather for a day or two would that be enough to kill the aphids? I wasn't paying enough attention to the plants the last few days and the aphids are now some what out of control and I do not know if soapy water will be enough.
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pests Cold Weather Kill Aphids?
- Thread starter mesatrin
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I would take the plants outside and hit them with a water hose, knocking off as many baddies as possible. Bring them back inside but buy a good pump-up sprayer first. Mix up a batch of Safer-Soap/Neem Oil and every time you a single aphid, spray all the plants, top and bottom leaves.
A couple of years ago, some over-wintered plants spread aphids to some tomato and pepper seedlings (more than 500 plants) and I had a major problem. But using that sprayer, after two weeks I didn't see an aphid.
Mike
A couple of years ago, some over-wintered plants spread aphids to some tomato and pepper seedlings (more than 500 plants) and I had a major problem. But using that sprayer, after two weeks I didn't see an aphid.
Mike
I would add something but wordwiz has it down pat. I've done exactly the same as him.
The problem with aphids: a) you have to hit them directly with the soap/neem, b) the soap/neem may not kill the eggs, and c) they lay their eggs in the soil as well. I just eliminated the aphids from my plants by giving in and releasing ladybugs inside my house. This particular package was difficult to figure out how to open, and I ended up accidentally releasing a lot more than I had intended. The first couple days, my house looked like ladybug central. But I have a sense of humor about it, and chalked it up to a learning experience. It's been about a week now, and I can hardly find ladybugs anywhere - they have eliminated the aphids and their eggs, and are starting to move on and/or die off. (I'm in a really old house, and know there are gaps in places like some of the windows where they can get out.) If your house is better sealed than mine, you will likely find them gathering at the windows trying to get out after the aphids are gone - just scoop them up and throw them outside.
Tips on releasing ladybugs inside the house:
- Put the package in the fridge for a bit before attempting to open it, which will cause them to go semi-dormant. Then when you do open the package, you can scoop out just however many you want, and put them where you want.
- Give them a cotton ball that's been soaked (but not dripping) in water after releasing them, as they will be thirsty.
- Some ladybugs come in a pouch-type of package, which you can just snip off the corner and release one at a time. The package I received was like a plastic butter tub with a mesh-type lid that had a ring around it. No instructions came with how to open it. There are two little tabs as part of the ring, and only one would come off. I thought this was like a milk jug ring, but it's not - the ring will not come off. Turns out all that removing the tab does is expose the edge of the lid - you can then pull the lid off from there, just don't bother trying to pull on the ring. There are likely many more package types out there, but the thing to keep in mind is that if they wake up while you're trying to figure how to open the pack, put it back in the fridge to calm them down again.
- Put the rest of the ladybugs back in the fridge, in case you find that you need to release more later.
- Don't expect them to stay where you put them - they're not trained animals, after all. They will stay on your plants until the aphids and eggs are gone, then they'll start searching for a new food source, so they'll start to be found all over. But like I said already, they'll soon congregate at the windows, trying to move on.
- Don't release the ladybugs right away after you've used soap/neem, as it will kill them, too.
There's likely someone out there who has done this more than once, and who has more tips, but this is what I've found so far. Hope it helps you.
Tips on releasing ladybugs inside the house:
- Put the package in the fridge for a bit before attempting to open it, which will cause them to go semi-dormant. Then when you do open the package, you can scoop out just however many you want, and put them where you want.
- Give them a cotton ball that's been soaked (but not dripping) in water after releasing them, as they will be thirsty.
- Some ladybugs come in a pouch-type of package, which you can just snip off the corner and release one at a time. The package I received was like a plastic butter tub with a mesh-type lid that had a ring around it. No instructions came with how to open it. There are two little tabs as part of the ring, and only one would come off. I thought this was like a milk jug ring, but it's not - the ring will not come off. Turns out all that removing the tab does is expose the edge of the lid - you can then pull the lid off from there, just don't bother trying to pull on the ring. There are likely many more package types out there, but the thing to keep in mind is that if they wake up while you're trying to figure how to open the pack, put it back in the fridge to calm them down again.
- Put the rest of the ladybugs back in the fridge, in case you find that you need to release more later.
- Don't expect them to stay where you put them - they're not trained animals, after all. They will stay on your plants until the aphids and eggs are gone, then they'll start searching for a new food source, so they'll start to be found all over. But like I said already, they'll soon congregate at the windows, trying to move on.
- Don't release the ladybugs right away after you've used soap/neem, as it will kill them, too.
There's likely someone out there who has done this more than once, and who has more tips, but this is what I've found so far. Hope it helps you.
They are just bhuts. They are all I grew this year and I have a bunch of seeds for next year. It is more just for the experience of overwintering the plant. I guess aphids are just part of what comes with overwintering. I was expecting them but it has been a while since I brought them in and I thought I got lucky. I stopped paying attention and it only took a couple of days for them to take the place over.
Here's another thing you might do to get rid of a heavy infestation. If you have a large enough container outdoors, fill it with water and mix in a few tablespoons of soap. Cover the top of your plant's pot with one hand to contain it while you invert it and totally submerge the plant. Give it a gentle swish while submerged and hold it there for about 10 minutes. If you don't have a deep enough container for the water you may need to go almost horizontal and sink half of the plant at a time. This will only kill the live bugs and not the eggs, so you'll need to repeat every 4 days over a 16 day period. This method will definitely not miss a spot. 
Good luck.
Good luck.
Maybe wrap some very fine netting around the plants and release the lady bugs and hopefully not too many will escape. I wrapped mine in some sheets one time and it kept most of them in there. Lady bugs are awesome. I watched a lady bug pick up an aphid and bite its head off. EPIC! I would just put some water and food in there for when they eat all the live aphids they can survive, if not they will all just die in a couple days.
I am currently, aphid free, first of all you have to put up with the initial onslaught of aphids. Next you have to kill the first generation of adults, next, taking the first layer of soil, approximately 1/4" of the surface soil and destroying, will kill the eggs. Your choice of replacing the soil, microwaving or freezing the 1/4".
I do have to put up with 2 weeks of daily constant squishing aphids but after killing off the eggs, my winter is aphid free, I do have to use some form of soap every 4-6 weeks to make sure the aphids are gone but they never come back in the original volume.
I have tried wintering ladybugs but genetically, its their sleep time and they don't do well in wintering months.
I do have to put up with 2 weeks of daily constant squishing aphids but after killing off the eggs, my winter is aphid free, I do have to use some form of soap every 4-6 weeks to make sure the aphids are gone but they never come back in the original volume.
I have tried wintering ladybugs but genetically, its their sleep time and they don't do well in wintering months.
+1
For me ladybugs are pretty much a waste of money until spring. Until then I rotate my arsenal which includes:oil based spray(neem and other horticultural oils), fatty acids(insecticidal soaps or home-made soap mix), pyrethrum(natural insecticide), chile/garlic sprays, and simple high pressure water.
This year I'm trying out a fogger unit for application, and hopefully this works well for large coverage in my greenhouses and indoor grow areas.
Organocide. For indoors get the premixed, deodorized version. It kills aphids DED! You can use it every 3 days if neccessary.