Aphids - How to Get Rid of Them

[art600]

Happy New Year to everyone

The warm weather has not been good for eliminating aphids.  On checking crocus in my cold frames I found a number covered with greenfly.

I know the answer is not to have aphids, but as I have them, is there a safe insecticide I can use?  Would a soap solution be better?


Appreciate your advice

Arthur

[David Shaw]

Arthur, happy new year to you as well.
A couple of producers market what they label as an organic insecticide and these are available from most garden centers etc. This what we have used for the past few years with good effect. I am slightly sceptical of the 'organic' labelling as the product is designed to kill the little buggers, however we try to garden as organically as possible and have made the decission to go along with the story. Personally I never found a soap solution to to have much more effect than to spoil the taste of the sap .

[art600]

David

As they work, could you please tell me the manufacturer or product name.

Arthur

[Ian Y]

Arthur,
I have to admit that under glass and in the frames I will use a systemic insecticide, Provado is one of the few available. As I remember the active ingredients that are available to home gardeners are Imidichloprid and Bifenthryn.
I you only have a small number of crocus or narcissus then you can rub the green fly between finger and thumb and that is organic as you can get.
However there are always more lurking just below the surface so that is why I use a systemic.
In the open garden I let nature make the balance sometimes I assist with a jet of water to wash the bugs off .

[art600]

Ian

Thank you for the info.

My finger and thumb worked well, but I, like you, suspect there are some still  lurking beneath the surface.

Will start with PROVADO tomorrow.

Arthur

[David Shaw]

When I read your request yesterday, Arthur, it was dark, cold & wet outside so rather than a trip to the potting shed I stayed by the fire with my glass of wine! Having checked this morning the two products I have on the shelf are:

Phostrogen - Rose & Flower Organic Insecticide
B&Q - Organic Insecticide

Neither carry the Soil Association seal of approval but the B&Q product is recognised by HDRA. Both seem to work and I only use them as required.
Hope you get to read this before you set out to buy the Provado!

[art600]

David

Thanks for the extra info.

I already have Provado, so might do a trial using Provado and the B &Q product.

[David Pilling]

Hi,

Has anyone got an opinion of which insecticide is safest for the gardener?

I'm thinking about the reports one often sees in the papers about gardeners being at a greater long term risk to some neurological problems - it is assumed due to their use of insecticides.

David Pilling

[David Shaw]

That is one of our reasons for using organic, David.
Used properly, all chemical passed for garden use 'should' be safe, they are much less strong than the equivalents used in horticulture and agriculture.
Knowing the broad base of knowledge of our forum members I am sure that some one will come up with a web site that wil answere your query more directly.

[Joakim B]

There is an alternative to soap and water that is "soap" oil and water. The oil is rapeseed oil but can be any vegetabile oil. This is quite usefull and have been tested also for outdoor use on rasberry field in Sweden.
I have heard that orchid people has it in there greenhouses.
Many used to disolve Provado sticks in warm water and water the orchids with it. When I did that I used very warm water and I inhailed the fume that came frome the disoled sticks. Later that day I got really dissy but I am not sure it was the effect of the insectiside, it could have been a virus of some sort.
One need to be very restrictive vehn sprayingand make sure to use appropriate protection even if the spray comes from a can and not a outdoor machine. I think it seems to be a lot of chemicals (insectisides, fungicides etc) used here rather than trying other things.
That is my oppinion and I try not to bee so fast in using them. Then I do not grow that valuable plants and try to kill what needs to be killed with other meens. It is not only what the gardeners get it is also what the garden gets that counts. The gardeners are not a small user of the pesticides. Many creeks become a big river so to say.

Hope I did not offend anyone by this.

Kind regards
Joakim Balogh

[David Shaw]

Joakim, do not worry about offending forum members when trying to move them away from using garden chemicals. We all have thick skins.I occaisionally have a rant on this topic but I suppose my friends just put it down to me practicing being a grumpy old man .

You are quite correct in comparing the use of small amounts of chemicals in many gardens with many creeks making a big river. In Scotland we would say 'many a mickle maks a muckle'.

The chemicals get washed down through the soil into groundwater which is the source of our rivers and water supplies. It does not just disappear.

[Ian Y]

Joakin and David make good points and civil discussion of views is healthy should never cause offence.

You should always follow the instructions on the product you are using and never use it or adapt it in any other way.
You should also be very aware of the harm these substances can cause to the environment and use them very sparingly.

I too am extremely environmentally aware and of course worried about the effects to my own health.
So I would like to qualify how I use the systemic insecticides I mention above.
One mix to fill my lance sprayer requires 5mml of the insecticide, I use the finest spray that I can select and pass quickly over the new emerging leaves so that they are coated with the finest mist of liquid. At the most I go through 4 mixes, some years only 2, in a year that is a max of 20mml of the insecticide and as it is systemic and drawn into the bulbs system and hence into the aphids very little is not used up.
I always wear disposable plastic gloves and a mask when necessary to avoid any contact or inhalation of the mist.
The biggest threat from the aphids is not that they will suck some sap from the bulbs but that they can be the vector that spreads virus to and through my collection and they must not be allowed to build up.
The contact and biological controls are fine but do not tackle the aphids that attack the stems and leaves just below the soil. By spraying early as the new growths emerge I can prevent any build up of aphids from occurring which would require using a great deal more of the harmful chemicals and the effect is active for at least 6 to 8 weeks.
My first rule is always be vigilant and keep a constant watch for any signs of aphids and if you see any rub them out with finger and thumb.
With a large collection like ours that has taken years to build up I have no guilt at all in the tiny amount of harmful and toxic chemicals that I use to defend and preserve it. I reakon that my life times use of insecticide will cause far less harm to the environment than that caused by the production and eventual disposal of the PC that I am using to post this message.

[Joakim B]

Thanks Ian for Your nice explanation on how You use the pesticide.
If  may say so this way is not the picture I got from Your superb bulb log.
I had the feeling You were running with the spray can much more. Maybe You can mension the above explanation in Your log as well, since not all the readers is reading the forum.

Safety is not easy and disposable gloves work for protection for seconds (maximum) if You spill! Take new ones imediately. The best mouth protection is a gasmask and not the paper ones. Maybe You are doing this already, then it is just a reminder to every one else.

These safety things are a small price to pay for the health!!

Kind regards
Joakim

[Ian Y]

As it happens Joakim, I just found some aphids in one of the bulb houses and so I will raise this whole issue in next weeks log. As you say better safe than sorry and I will explain exactly how I use the insecticide.

[David Pilling]

Latex gloves are cheap, less than five pounds per 100. I presume they're impermeable to the chemicals.