I've read a lot about what to use for aphids on here but I'm worried about burning the leaves or hurting the plant. I have 23 plants. I could squish them all just as easy as spraying under all the leaves. Or is using something else better? Can I use dish soap and water? If so how much per gallon and what brand of soap? Also I was wondering if I need to wash it of after? I'm worried about my plants.
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pests My worst fears are confirmed........Aphids
- Thread starter chillilover
- Start date
Buy some Neem oil and spray those bastards good top and bottom. It won't hurt your plants just make them a little shinny until you get a good rain. I don't use the soap because I bought the Neem Concentrate that makes 16 gallons and I just refill the sprayer. Don't wait.
How are you plants doing with the aphids worlok?
If these solutions don't work are my plants finished?
The problem with oils is, they do not kill on contact! That is to say that if you do not hit them directly, they do not die.
And aphids can be really really small, they can hide inside the folds of buds, where no oil can reach them.
You need to use something with pyrethrins which are safe for humans, break down overtime with exposure to light and kill directly and later on if they walk over an area that was sprayed. Pyrethrins are like VX gass to bugs, and they work very well but will not cure the problem 100%, for that you need to inspect your pots for bugs hiding in nooks and crannies (like under the water reservoir on some pots). Also since they can hide in the soil feeding off the roots, take some hot tap water and pour this into the pots, this is safe as long as you do it only once.
If you are growing indoors away from the elements and natural enemies then you are fighting a losing battle.
My first reaction after the soaps and oils didnt work was to take every plant and manually inspect them, killing every single aphids one by one... A very intensive process, I even removed the mulch and isolated each plant to do a very thorough inspection under lights with a magnifying glass no less! I would then let the plants sit around isolated for a few hours and reinspect them, killing about 10 or so that I somehow missed. After that, it appeared as if I had won... Then a few days later, aphids started showing up on every single plant. Before I knew it there was total reinfestation all over again.
I was about to give up and I was holding one final card up my sleeve, since it was the end of the year anyway I decided that the best move was to cut every plant down to a stump, and removing every single aphid I could manually find on a plant (like before) that consisted of a stump sticking out of the soil, pouring very hot water into the pot to kill anything hiding in the soil, a complete nook and cranny container inspection and doing this whole thing over again (minus hot water) every day over a few weeks, because it takes only ONE APHID to reinfest.
Even then, a few plants had some aphids pop up, which were killed and reinspected. So far I have not seen an Aphid since December.
And aphids can be really really small, they can hide inside the folds of buds, where no oil can reach them.
You need to use something with pyrethrins which are safe for humans, break down overtime with exposure to light and kill directly and later on if they walk over an area that was sprayed. Pyrethrins are like VX gass to bugs, and they work very well but will not cure the problem 100%, for that you need to inspect your pots for bugs hiding in nooks and crannies (like under the water reservoir on some pots). Also since they can hide in the soil feeding off the roots, take some hot tap water and pour this into the pots, this is safe as long as you do it only once.
If you are growing indoors away from the elements and natural enemies then you are fighting a losing battle.
My first reaction after the soaps and oils didnt work was to take every plant and manually inspect them, killing every single aphids one by one... A very intensive process, I even removed the mulch and isolated each plant to do a very thorough inspection under lights with a magnifying glass no less! I would then let the plants sit around isolated for a few hours and reinspect them, killing about 10 or so that I somehow missed. After that, it appeared as if I had won... Then a few days later, aphids started showing up on every single plant. Before I knew it there was total reinfestation all over again.
I was about to give up and I was holding one final card up my sleeve, since it was the end of the year anyway I decided that the best move was to cut every plant down to a stump, and removing every single aphid I could manually find on a plant (like before) that consisted of a stump sticking out of the soil, pouring very hot water into the pot to kill anything hiding in the soil, a complete nook and cranny container inspection and doing this whole thing over again (minus hot water) every day over a few weeks, because it takes only ONE APHID to reinfest.
Even then, a few plants had some aphids pop up, which were killed and reinspected. So far I have not seen an Aphid since December.
The Dawn solution did work for me, but had to reapply every few days as they came back. It got old reeeal fast with the ones in the ground since they started under the bottom leaves. [edit] oh, and spray the soil too. I think that's where mine were coming from and they certainly fall down in there while you're busy spraying the rest of the plant.
I LOVE the predator solution. Ladybugs rule. I still have larva from the ones I released 3 months ago.
I LOVE the predator solution. Ladybugs rule. I still have larva from the ones I released 3 months ago.
I happened to find an aphid on one of my smaller plants today. After a quick inspection I found about a half dozen eggs under one of the leaves. I squished them all and gave all of my plants a soaking with Safers Soap. Sadly I'm also trying to prevent a spider mite outbreak as well. I'll have to be extra vigillent for the next few weeks. Hopefully I can stop it before it ends up worse than just a few bugs like it is now
I have been squishing them but they keep coming back. I am still scared to spray as I don't want to risk hurting the plants. There are not too many aphids , maybe 4 per leaf at the most. The plants seem to be doing okay with them. Should I leave them since they are not infested too bad and seem to be doing okay or spray and risk burning them? I guess my question is "Will a small infestation affect the plants?"
Why haven't the ladybugs paid a visit to my plants yet???????
When you don't need em you see hundreds and when you want them they are no where to be found.
When you don't need em you see hundreds and when you want them they are no where to be found.