Getting Rid of Aphids

Aphids are world-wide. There are a startling number of species but they all have one thing in common: they live off the "blood" - or in this case the sap - of plants and trees. They reproduce in about a week and the young come out hungry. What's worse is that they will stay until the plant is destroyed, then, believe it or not, develop wings in a generation and fly to the next plant. Their adaptability is equally impressive. They don't need to mate to reproduce, for one thing. They are a Darwinian nightmare, in short, a perfect plant-killing machine.

Fortunately, aphids are not that hard to control. And that's good news. However, having said that, early detection is paramount. They can do frightful damage in a short period of time. They have hungry and strong mandibles - jaws - and they chew and suck the sap out of the leaves of plants. A symptom can be the curked leaf so common to aphid ibnfestations. Another is to actually see these little buggers as they alight. They are slightly smaller than a regular grain of rice. When they lay eggs, you can detect them in piles of white sacs on the underside of the leaves.

The simplest way of dealing with aphids - and the least toxic - is by use of Insecticidal Soap. This tends to work really well but it carries the additional problem of wearing down quickly. Multiple applications are typically required. The soap really is a soap and it acts to suffocate the aphids. It works rapidly and is as good as almost any other product on the market. When I mention "multiple applications" I do mean throughout the growing season.

Another product is Insecticidal Dust. The dust works well but it it a chemical needing attentive handling and care. The dust's other negative characterisitc, of course, is appearance. It will look dusty.

Insecticidal Sprays are the other option which deals with other chemical products, also requiring smart handling and good storage. TRhese chemicals are readily available at garden shops and nurseries, also hardware stores and they make excellent controlling devices. I like the soaps because of their neutral chemical composition, but I have used both the dusts and sprays when decisive measures needed doing, but not for food gardens.

Aphids only seem intimidating when we see the amazing damage they can do in such a short period of time. Obviously, for gardens with food, the soaps are just about the only recommendable recourse of the 3 listed here.

Home Remedy Solution or Aphids

Here is a "home remedy": You can kill aphids by spraying, especially under the leaves, with a solution of 2 tsp mild dish or laundry soap to a bottle of luke warm water. The soap washes off the aphid’s protective waxy coating and causes dehydration. You can also mix three parts luke warm water to one part vegetable or horticultural oil and a couple drops of dish soap. This mixture can be sprayed on to clog the respiratory spiracles of aphids. Spray once a week taking turns between solutions. If using these solutions on food plants, be sure to wash them before eating. If using the oil solution, don’t spray on very hot and sunny days as the oil can magnify the sun and possibly harm the plant.