Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

This is a rather interesting article on what attracts aphids to plants. While the chemical combinations for controlling aphids are not suitable for AP, if this research is correct it would explain much of why some control methods used are effective and some are not. It also gives a scientific basis for testing your plants health. http://www.mosesorganic.org/broadcaster/14.4aphids.html

You can buy ladybugs at most good nurseries. Put them in there and they'll do the trick. You can also take a vacuum cleaner to them but you won't get them all and they'll be back before you know it...

Jazz
Think the point of the article was that aphids are attracted to unhealthy plants. It is better to solve the cause than treat the problem IMHO.

Don't think much of the idea that aphids don't suck, only feed on what is exuded...this would mean that they don't damage the plant, which is definitely NOT true.

Steem

From Wiki
"Diet
Many aphid species are monophagous (that is, they feed on only one plant species). Others, like the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), feed on hundreds of plant species across many families.

Aphids passively feed on sap of phloem vessels in plants, as do many of their fellow members of Hemiptera such as scale insects and cicadas. Once a phloem vessel is punctured, the sap, which is under high pressure, is forced into the aphid's food canal. As they feed, aphids often transmit plant viruses to the plants, such as to potatoes, cereals, sugarbeets and citrus plants.[8] These viruses can sometimes kill the plants."

keeping the jungle under control is a good control. i've found in my pot garden that aphids prefer shaded protected area's. if you take most of that away and control the ants that protect them it's 1/2 the battle.

I've noticed that too timmy, tightly bunched plants are a lot more prone to insect attack.

With some pest like aphids I just pull the plant out submerge in a bucket of water cleaning off the pest and then add plant back into growbed..works well when you catch early
LB

I've had some plants terribly attacked by aphids and still gotten a fair harvest from them. I think part of the problem here is that ants are almost impossible to control out doors without killing everything else that might be good. Anyway, it does seem that if you meet the plants needs and it is a healthy plant, it can often survive the aphid attack and go on to produce while sickly plants will only whither under the attack.

Spraying water and washing the aphids off the plant often works but is really time consuming and the usually come back. I like the idea of the seasol spray since it no only knocks off the aphids as well as possibly killing them but it helps the plants survive attacks by providing good nutrients. Since I have been adding more Iron and potassium to my system, I notice that the aphids are not doing my peppers and Okra in anymore even if the pests are not completely gone.

To a large extent, I have neglected my plants this season and not done a whole lot to battle the aphids that are attacking some plants. I expect that I've had some reduced yields of some crops but the lady bug population and other good bugs should be growing and moving in so hopefully things will get better as time goes on.

It is kinda gross harvesting crowder peas that are covered with aphids though they wash off just fine and if I'm blanching and freezing them it is not a problem. I don't really expect any peas to be able to dry down in the field in our climate anyway.

I have found that seasol does work very well, it dries to a sticky film, and glues the aphids up

i tried a commercial chilly and garlic spray the other week, it was pretty useless.

Spreading the aphid prone plants throughout multiple beds (rather than bunching them together) dramatically reduces the aphid population. Same for other bugs and caterpillars.

This creates a better environment for the insects. In dirt gardens using underground watering can reduce the amounts of insects in the crop. With GB's having more water around does not help. Keeping the flood levels low might help with the moisture levels.

I like chillies and garlic to spray on the little buggers.

Hi all
I have been reading an interesting article in the Horticulture Week a free magazine that has appeared in our post box from who knows where, about the accursed spider mite. They are advocating Amblyseius andersoni and Amblyseius californicus predatory insects which can establish themselves in a spider mite colony and scoff the lot very quickly. The best part is that they can remain in the area living off of pollen and springtails and are not solely dependent on spider mite. Another parasitic bug is Feltiella acarisuga which again establish itself amongst the mites and when the lavae hatch they get stuck into the mites.

If anyone has experience of these parasitic bugs can you let me know as spider mites make our life a misery.

WD

Amblyseius californicus absolutely worked on mites last year

i couldn't believe it really it was nuts