Aphid Control - Organic!

julsngraham

Hiya
Can anyone help me on trying to rid of greenfly - my flowers are heavily infested. I did use some chemicals initially but would prefer to use organic ?

I believe Garlic Spray would help - does anyone use this and how do I make it?

Thanks

adamg02

https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Aphids-Away-Using-Eco-Friendly-Methods

Has some tips .. and while not instant fix, planting garlic chives seem like a good idea, plus you get nice looking bee-attracting flowers too. Easy to grow from seed, or I guess you can pick up a pot from garden centre reasonably cheaply.

emiff6

Well, if you've already sprayed, you've probably killed off all the baby predators that would have eaten the lot for you. When you get aphids, then predators like ladybirds and lacewings arrive soon after, to eat them, and to lay their eggs nearby so their larvae can eat them too. If you want to be organic, you have to bite the bullet until the predators get going.

For instance, the first year I started veg growing here, my runner bean leaves were literally black with black aphids and I thought there was no hope. I just left them, and a fortnight later, I couldn't find a single blackfly, but the garden was teeming with ladybirds, the beans were none the worse and had no real set-back.

Nowadays I get some aphids, but they are soon cleared away by predators. I don't use anything at all, just leave it to nature.

(And please don't spray them with washing up liquid - how can that be organic? Just look at the list of chemicals it's made from, and it is not selective, any more than pesticide is.)

[Deleted User]

soft soap from an organic gardening site. http://www.organiccatalogue.com/p550/INSECTICIDAL-SOAP-Concentrate-1-Litre/product_info.html

Also plant marigolds, calendula, poached egg plant, nasturtiums. They will all help

My predators haven`t arrived yet, apart from hoverfly but then again I am surrounded by rapeseed fields which are poisonous to insects so it is a difficult time re aphids, which have taken refuge here and are breeding in large numbers

cootambear

emiff6 wrote: »

Well, if you've already sprayed, you've probably killed off all the baby predators that would have eaten the lot for you. When you get aphids, then predators like ladybirds and lacewings arrive soon after, to eat them, and to lay their eggs nearby so their larvae can eat them too. If you want to be organic, you have to bite the bullet until the predators get going.

For instance, the first year I started veg growing here, my runner bean leaves were literally black with black aphids and I thought there was no hope. I just left them, and a fortnight later, I couldn't find a single blackfly, but the garden was teeming with ladybirds, the beans were none the worse and had no real set-back.

Nowadays I get some aphids, but they are soon cleared away by predators. I don't use anything at all, just leave it to nature.

(And please don't spray them with washing up liquid - how can that be organic? Just look at the list of chemicals it's made from, and it is not selective, any more than pesticide is.)

unless you leave it to the predators, its all chemicals whether it comes from a plant or not

julsngraham

Thanks guys
Would you believe I dont get ladybirds in the garden and never have - not due to spraying either cos I only did it for the first time this year, its pretty cold on the north coast and we get very little. I even bought in Ladybird Larve last year for my polytunnel - goodness knows where they have gone!

lostinrates

We have loads of ladybirds, loads, but they still cannot keep up with the green fly. Atm i squish by hand, with the idea that i will not get all so leave food for the hundreds of ladybirds who overwinter ped in my house. but i am failing to keep up too.

Niv

tightb*star*rd wrote: »

Last year I had a bad infestation on my chilli plants. I used really diluted fairy liquid water in a spray bottle to good effect. But as someone said it's not really organic.

You can get biodegradable washing liquid so it can be environmentally friendly.

heirloom

I love using home-spun potions in my garden. They’re cheaper than sprays from the garden centre, and they are normally far better for the ecosystem in the garden as well. This cheeky little lemon spray will send the pesky aphids in your garden running for the hills.

I picked this idea up from Tom Brown, the head gardener at Parham, who sprays all the plants in his potager with citrus juice and garlic. The citrus kills off aphids, while the garlic repels slugs, and discourages any aphids from crawling back again.


Here’s how to make it:


2 large lemons
3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of crushed chillis
1.2 litres of boiling water

1. Grate the zest from the lemons and add to a pan of boiling water, along with the chilli flakes.
2. Slice the lemons thinly and crush the garlic cloves and add to the pan. Cover and simmer for half an hour.
3. Leave to cool and decant into a spray bottle. Spray liberally over plants affected by aphids

Article is from Fennel and Fern, sorry can't post links