A Gardener’s Nightmare - Aphids
Magnified aphid - Aphids are about 2-4 mm long.
What are Aphids?
Pear-shaped with long antennas and long legs. Aphids are extremely small and adhere to the underside of leaves. They are widespread because they don't need to mate to reproduce, females aphids give birth to live clones or lay eggs - all without the help of a male.
How to Deal with Aphids?
Spend time in your garden - Keep an eye on your plants, particularly the underside of leaves so you can take action before a damaging amount of aphids colonize.
Water - A hard stream of water on infested leaves can knock off aphids and normally they won’t get back up on the plant.
Sweet alyssum - Planting sweet alyssum beneath rose bushes and leafy crops substantially cuts down on the aphid population.
Beneficial Insects - Ladybugs love aphids. Purchase ladybugs from a local garden center. Before you release your ladybugs (which should only be done at dusk or overnight or else they will fly away!) mist water on your plants and create an environment that ladybugs will want to stay in. Be patient, it can take a few weeks for ladybugs to control an infestation.
Insecticidal soap -Garden safe insecticidal soap can kill aphids on contact but is safe for humans.
We think a combined approach is usually best. Keep your eyes out this spring as your plants wake up. Aphids love the soft new growth that warm spring weather brings. Good luck out there!
