Aphids! Aggh!

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

Well here in the Northwest we have had a l-o-n-g, slow, cold spring and I am FINALLY getting some nice kale plants.

I went out to pick the first tender leaves and they were COVERED SOLID with aphids. Every plant. I am so grossed out; there's way too many to simply rinse away and just eat the kale.

So - what to do? I DO NOT want them to spread, we have ladybugs around but maybe not enough for an infestation like this... should I just pull out the plants and start over? (I have small individual garden boxes).

I know about spraying with soapy water and all, will that work for an entire square foot of them?

[cowgirrlup]

Well here in the Northwest we have had a l-o-n-g, slow, cold spring and I am FINALLY getting some nice kale plants.

I went out to pick the first tender leaves and they were COVERED SOLID with aphids. Every plant. I am so grossed out; there's way too many to simply rinse away and just eat the kale.

So - what to do? I DO NOT want them to spread, we have ladybugs around but maybe not enough for an infestation like this... should I just pull out the plants and start over? (I have small individual garden boxes).

I know about spraying with soapy water and all, will that work for an entire square foot of them?

I used the soapy water last year on my garden and it really helped a lot! I figured if they come back this year I'll use it again. I also planted lavender and marigolds near the plants this year. Supposedly the aphids don't like either of those plants.

My neighbor soaks cigarette butts in the soapy water and then sprays the plants...her spray kills more aphids than my soapy water does, but I am going to stick with the water and soap.

[Byzantea]

eeew

[FatFreddy'sCat]

Spray with soapy water as appropriate. It'll get rid of the worst of it. I wished we had had ladybirds last year. It was a crap summer. All the ladybirds were hiding. I found them at work in the late summer/early autumn.

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

Ok, so trying the soapy water thing... again... (It didn't work well last year...)
How long to see results? There are just so freakin' MANY of them this time I'm really grossed out. I just wanted to eat some kale for dinner...

[cowgirrlup]

Ok, so trying the soapy water thing... again... (It didn't work well last year...)
How long to see results? There are just so freakin' MANY of them this time I'm really grossed out. I just wanted to eat some kale for dinner...

Oh, I'm sorry! I know how badly I felt last year when they invaded my garden.

I mixed my soapy water a little strong, mainly cuz I was sooo pi**ed off at the aphids....and I figured its soap! It washes off and it won't hurt me.

I had improvement by the next day.

[Bios]

How strong *is* the right strength?

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

Hmmm... dunno... I figure, like cowgirl said, it's just soap, right? I mixed it pretty soapy... quite a bit more soapy than like, for washing dishes...

[cowgirrlup]

How strong *is* the right strength?

The local nursery told me "2 teaspoons to a bottle of water"..he was holding one of those empty spray bottles you can buy...I figured that wasnt very strong and I added a lot more soap to the water...but I didnt measure it, sorry...I kind of just assumed that if the soap didnt kill the aphids, the plants were ruined anyways...

he also told me I could add a few drops of vegetable oil and a few drops of soap to a bottle of water and it also kills the aphids...

I stuck with the soap figuring it was easier to wash off the plants...

[inkie51]

Do you use Murphy's soap or just plain dishwashing soap?

[cowgirrlup]

I just used plain dish washing soap...I got the cheapest kind...I don't even know what the brand was...

I used to use it in Calif on my hibiscus and my roses..aphids like to eat those, too.

I tried buying some lady bugs, but they all flew away! LOL

[inkie51]

lol--that's funny about the ladybugs....I've always used Murphy's oil which is soapy...it worked very well. But if I can get by with cheaper soap--that would be great!

[cowgirrlup]

lol--that's funny about the ladybugs....I've always used Murphy's oil which is soapy...it worked very well. But if I can get by with cheaper soap--that would be great!

If the Murphy's oil works and you already have it, I'd keep on using it. I wonder if that would be like the cooking oil & dish soap recipe?

yeah, the ladybugs I bought "flew the coop" within 2 days...LOL

[Bios]

Thanks for the help! Maybe it'll save my beans. I've already shared a lot of my mustard spinach with the many-legged crowd. Weird how they love the mustard spinach and ignore the chard next door .... good by me though as I don't have enough of that chard to share.

[greensgood]

Companion planting helped get rid of my aphids last year. Marigolds work well, grow easy and fast and attract the right bugs that eat aphids. This article suggests planting garlic and chives near your aphid problem as well: http://www.howtodothings.com/home-and-garden/a3033-how-to-get-rid-of-aphids.html. good luck.

[bekajoi]

My soapy water was one squirt from a pump I keep my dishwashing soap in (for handwashing), to 1 bottle of water, in my spray bottle. So it's pretty strong.

The Aphids are back, attacking my pepper plants. :( I am tempted, once they are gone again, to move the peppers inside to keep them bug-free. I REALLY wanted some peppers. :(

[cowgirrlup]

My soapy water was one squirt from a pump I keep my dishwashing soap in (for handwashing), to 1 bottle of water, in my spray bottle. So it's pretty strong.

The Aphids are back, attacking my pepper plants. :( I am tempted, once they are gone again, to move the peppers inside to keep them bug-free. I REALLY wanted some peppers. :(

Oh that sucks! Spray everything! It won't hurt the plants!

baby grasshoppers ate all my cliantro and are going to work on my thyme & my basil...

they could care less about the soapy spray...maybe I can try the one with the vegetable oil in it too.