Aphids are out in massive numbers

[Deleted User]

and hardly a beneficial predator in sight. I have calendula, marigolds, nasturtiums, poached egg plants etc but not a flower yet. Those darn aphids are accumulating everywhere and today I found lots of colonies starting on strawberries in containers. Yesterday a lettuce got floppy as it needed water but those aphids got there first

I was going to wait for the helpers to arrive but no good and I have had to get the soft soap spray ready.

They do so much damage and there are are 500 different types in the uk, so they are not all green

GreenTricky

They infested my 6 small chilli plants but I found 5 ladybirds who have done a great job getting rid of them and even have to ladybirds with eggs on them now,so hopefully that will protect them a while longer

Oldbiggles

GreenTricky wrote: »

They infested my 6 small chilli plants but I found 5 ladybirds who have done a great job getting rid of them and even have to ladybirds with eggs on them now,so hopefully that will protect them a while longer

There must be lots of green fly in this area, because I seem to have a plague of ladybirds trying and sometimes succeeding to get into my home through vents etc.

[Deleted User]

I wish the ladybirds were at my house (but not the big foreign ones!!) I have just spent good money on a ladybird house and attractant, I did see one hoverfly an hour ago and one marigold flower and also a nasty horsefly arghhh

Anyway I am due to feed my strawberries today so will give them all a good drink at the same time, this evening when cooler

That lettuce is, amazingly, recovering and is standing straight now. I have put some diatomaceous earth around it as the bed is ideal for ants and they will go after any ladybirds. The ants are good at harvesting aphids and get protective

Ambidou

ive got white fly on all of my strawbs, noticed the ladybirds have come to the rescue in their masses though

Sambucus_Nigra

kittie wrote: »

I wish the ladybirds were at my house (but not the big foreign ones!!) I have just spent good money on a ladybird house and attractant, I did see one hoverfly an hour ago and one marigold flower and also a nasty horsefly arghhh

We can't move anything for ladybirds - but you would be better off giving them places to hibernate rather than a house and attractant. I leave sweetcorn stalk, sunflower stalks and cardoon flower heads all winter and the ladybirds live in there whilst it's cold, and come out in spring ready to munch away on any aphids that start eating my veg.

BargainGalore

I have greenfly on my carnations past few days I keep spraying them with soapy water. I do have some ladybirds but not in right places

frugle

I am going to sound very thick but could someone help me please.

We arent growing Veggies this year but are getting married next year so are trying to grow our wedding flowers, I have 4 David Austen Roses that are covered in green fly, if I use soapy water should this be ok for them? My thick question was would Sainsburys basic washing up liquid be ok or does it have harmful stuff in it? Sorry for sounding dumb, just paranoid about my roses they dont look very healthy the leaves are brown with dots/patches.

Thanks

sammyroser

I had what felt like hundreds of ladybirds in my garden before all the rain. Over the last week I've found one And I had mass infestation of aphids too.

I've been looking after my dad's house whilst he is on holiday and whilst watering some plants I noticed he had flowering marigolds so I sneakily dug a couple up and planted my currently non-flowering ones down. Hehe

foxgloves

We are normally struggling with the aphids this time of year, especially in the greenhouse, but were only just saying last night that this year, we just haven't seen any. We have absolutely loads of ladybirds in the garden though, so I suppose they've been scoffing them.

Farway

frugle wrote: »

I am going to sound very thick but could someone help me please.

We arent growing Veggies this year but are getting married next year so are trying to grow our wedding flowers, I have 4 David Austen Roses that are covered in green fly, if I use soapy water should this be ok for them? .

Thanks

Quite honestly, given the occasion the roses are being grown for, plus David Austen is not a cheap option, pop along to Wilkinson's, B & Q etc and buy some Roseclear

It is bug killer & fungicide in one bottle

while you are there, get some seaweed based foliar feed, Tomorite will do

Use as per instructions, and watch your lovely roses bloom