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A Bit About Aphids
One of the first creatures that are noticed in a new garden are aphids. The tiny little spots on the underside of leaves that go unnoticed until there are more than you can count. Stay calm! If this is a new garden, understand that there is now an array of beautiful abundance of naturally grown plants that were never there before. This is a food source for not only you but to many different populations of insects all around.
Usually when there is aphids around there are also ants. Ants will actually “farm” aphids and protect them because they feed off of their “poop” (which is a sweet sugary substance). So to control aphids a major step is to control the ants (find the mound or the way that they are coming in).
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There are several ways to rid aphids from your garden. A lot of people say a simple soap spray will work, and it will, but you most likely will damage the plants… {No Spray!} A damaged plant takes time to recover. Take into consideration the type of plant it is. For example a short cycled plant like lettuce the recovery time is longer than the time it takes to reseed.
A convenient way is to just spray them off with a high stream of water (from the hose or sink- etc) Do this early in the morning or in the evening. The aphids usually will fall off, you may also use your fingers or a soft cloth to wipe them off too. As the aphids are forced to detached from the plant- they break their “feeding sucker” and will usually die.
The best way to rid them in the long run is to introduce other insects that “feed” off of aphids and build a healthy garden soil web. Beneficial insects that feed off of aphids include LADY BUGS and PRAYING MANTIS. They can eat several a day and prevent massive out breaks. A healthy garden contains natural checks and balances that prevent massive outbreaks of individual insects.
Another way is to plant other plants that deter aphids- these include- CHIVES, NASTURTIUMS and marigolds (all easy and fun to grow). Plant these around your garden or in several pots. Tansys are one type of plant that deters ants.
You can use a soap spray. There are numerous recipes that you can find and I encourage you to research around. But mostly a soap spray is a few drops of natural soap with some water- the concoction should be a little foamy, but not too much! It should be enough to see the foam cover the aphids which end up suffocating them. Although this works effectively this method can damage plant itself.
With short cycle plants like lettuce and depending on where the plant is in its life cycle, it may better to replant, than to treat an aphid infestation. Control the ants for the next set of sprouts and work on creating a balanced ecosystem within your garden
About the Author:
Laura Rieber holds a BS in Agriculture with a focus on sustainability from the University of Hawaii, several certificates in agriculture business development and is a master gardener. The moment she realized the corporate lies that feed the world was the moment she was inspired to write about the truth about natural agriculture. She co-created No Spray Hawaii with her partner, Jesse Fujimoto to help others gain awareness. She teaches natural agriculture principles on the Big Island of Hawaii. CONTACTÂ
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