How to Get Rid of Aphids Organically
Spotlight on aphids today. These pesky critters are not a death sentence for plants, especially if caught early. They can be slow to spread as well, so there’s hope there. However, they’re nasty! And once they take over, your plant can get sick, stop growing or become inedible.
Here are the organic methods I’ve used to prevent and treat an aphid issue. I always keep things as pure as I can in my garden, so organic pest control is key.
PREVENTION:
- 100% Neem oil applied early. Neem is great and organic, but you need to do your research on what you buy, as it has to be 100% Neem with Azadirachtin in it.
- Cloches can help keep pests from landing on veggies and laying eggs, so they are a great option for protecting seedlings and anything you think is highly susceptible.
- Detractor plants are so fun – they literally distract pests and lure them in, so that your veggies don’t get attacked. Nasturtium can be great for capturing aphids.
TREATMENT:
The first thing I always do is a heavy and close-up water spray – I simply try to get all the aphids off of a plant. And the water will eliminate them in the long term by destroying their outer tissues. If this doesn’t work, then:
- I’ll apply Neem oil in the early evening, or insecticidal soap. You can make soap on your own that is diluted with water – think 1/10th castile soap, the rest water.
- Next, we try beneficial insects, in this case, ladybugs who eat aphids.
- Finally, should none of this work and the aphids still are taking over, remove the compromised plant. Often this takes care of it, and the rest of the patch is ok!
Good luck out there fellow gardeners, it can be tricky!