Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I need help and ideas . 5 weeks in with my new system all is going well with the aquaponics . water is green 100 tiny feeder fish less the few who got sucked into the pump. Well you get that don't you. But horror of horrors all of the seedling are covered in aphids and or red spider mite.
How can I over come this problem??
York is known for its pests which come every year. In the garden beds I can spray them as I do not eat from there. But with the aquaponics which I will be eating from, what can I do ??
Here is hoping someone can help me. York Girl

i believe people on here have reported success with garlic spray and seasol?

Thanks Timmy ,
Will give that a go. Do you know the mix ratios ?

york girl-also we try to provide a natural predator for the aphids, being ladybirds are the natural predator of them I would walk around your soil garden and try to find as many as possible and put then on the GB system
to do the work for you.
Sometimes when you use sprays you kill off the goodies along with the badies.
I have included this link for you.
http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/horticulture/18686.html.
Don't be too hasty these are learning times for all of us.
Hope this helps.
C1

Ants protect the aphids and move them around, if you can encourage lady birds and keep the ants off their back, they'll do the jobie.

quite so gemmel.

red spider mites, I've recently bought some predatory mites and they seem to be on the job Now the beans look like beans instead of cobwebs
try here www.beneficialbugs.com.au

Be encouraged-- if your produce is good enough for bugs to eat, it will probably be good for you too -- Think of life from a bug's perspective -- all these good looking fruits and vegetables that are poisonous. It's gotta be hard for a bug to find anything healtful to eat anymore.

You'll sort it out and be better for it

Welcome York Girl - how come the gender box is ticked for male

as Jaymie linked to, the Persimilis does a very good job of clearing spider mite...better if used in a confined area tho - such as in a green house

Need to see your system now, we love pics please

York Girl,
Companion Plantings are a good move also, especially with AP as we try to naturally avoid issues with these insects.
Try Marigolds, Garlic or Chives. Search on the internet for specific insect deterring plants which can be used to reduce the impact they have.

Welcome to the Forum.
Be sure to read This Message and advise if you are interested in participating.

Hi and thanks for the ideas.
Have spent two days in the garden looking for ladybirds but they do not seem to be around at the moment.
So I'm going to try making a spray. I found a copy of Jackie Frenchs book
Organic Control of Household Pests in their is a recipe for Onion spray.
She says this is good for scale,thrips, aphids and mites. In case this is of use
to others here is the Recipe.
1/2 Litre boiling water
1 Kg (2.2 Lbs) chopped, unpeeled onions
20 litres water
To make up.
Pour boiling water over onions. Strain. Dilute with water. Spray every 10 days
till pests are gone.
This book is a gem,it has so many things in it . Do try and get yourself a copy.

In reply to EllkayBee. To keep the young bucks away.

ROFPMSL!

Damn cabbage white caterpillars and snails are munching my plants... even going for the tomatoes ....

Strawbs seem unaffected ...

Cucumbers are getting black leaf edges .. sort of looks like fungal disease ...

Gotta get my head around these natural sprays...

( but I never spray for anything normally ... I never even take a headache pill ... the only spray I use is for that nasty prickly bindi weed we get in the lawn.)

So I am looking at this thread soaking up various ideas...

Hi Johnnie7au, I hate sprays too , but when push comes to shove. I will use what I can to keep some of my crop for me to eat. The organic control spray
( Onion mix ) is the safest I have found so far.
I did speak to a friend ( Pete ) and he has used the onion spray, it worked for him in his garden. He also said you can just wash off aphids with water , they don't seem to climb back on the plant but you have to do it 6 or 7 times a day to get any were near keeping them under control.
With your Cucumbers take a look at the under side of the leafs with black edges are their any mites there. If not, it dose sound as if you have a fungal problem which will not be easy to treat without chemicals . You might have to pull them out and plant some new ones in another grow bed.
One other thing you could try is chamomile tea, it is a very mild fungicide. You can buy it in tea bag form, make up a pot of tea with it, then when the tea is nearly cold spray it on the infected plants. It might just work if the plant is not too far gone.

Thanks .. will try some of those ideas...

In my last place I had some success with the wormwood plant. I even used wormwood tea as a dog wash to control flies going for her ears.

(It is a toxic plant and if I recall correctly the French used to make a drink called absinth from it?)