Aphids Are Strong This Year - Viburnum Tinus

[Firstflush]

Picked some. Hosed off tips about 3 times. Neem and soap. This has happened in about 2 weeks. I was on it from the get go. Obviously not enough. There must have been hundreds more than I saw. Every single growing tip. Californians keep an eye out. The short little periods of warmer weather we have been having got the aphid population blowing up.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Want to keep aphids off your bushes? Get some lupine. I’ve found those little suckers love lupine above all else! As they start to lose their bloom, every aphid in our year seems to find these plants.

A couple years ago we let loose some ladybugs just for foot on the plants. They never left the area after getting into the aphids.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Firstflush]

Hey, someone read my sob story ….hahaha.

Good ideas. Have a huge night blooming jasmine. The thing gets infested with everything including the little tiny beetle looking things that stack up on branches. The thing just pumps out ladybugs the whole season usually keeping the pest numbers down….just a little early still.

 

[sorce]

I been contemplating a lot about companion plants to deter pests recently in planning the vegetable garden for this year.

I recently put what very well may be a 2 and 2 together that it actually works quite well.

That last yard I was at, the one with more new bugs than I've ever seen, yet the least pests, had wild onions growing all over the yard.

I also had Basil and Marigolds planted for the garden.

I'm going to focus a bit more proactively on this leg of chemical free growing, keeping potted repellents/attractants around.

I got some Cosmos flower seeds, need to find Lavender and Borage.

So many beautiful plants we can keep with no more attention than trees since they'll catch the same water.

Sorce

 

[Firstflush]

Marigolds are a proven pest deterrent.
When those annuals are done bury them to help with harmful beetle larva and pest nematodes like root knot.

 

[Bricker918]

I’ve been seeing a ton this year too! All of my oaks are riddled with them. Been spraying/wiping leaves with soapy water but they just keep coming. Might have to try something stronger

 

[ShadyStump]

My indoor plants got hit hard with aphids end of January. Nothing non-chemical I tried was helping much. Finally I went with an old timer remedy: tobacco tea. Worked like a charm.

Get any kind of cheap tobacco, and steep a handful of it in water at least an hour, or even overnight. 1/10 ratio by volume is more than enough. Filter out the particles, pour into a spray bottle. Adding a drop or two of liquid dish soap acts as a surfactant helping to solution spread over the leaves. Persistent for days unless washed off by water. Stores for a couple weeks. Safe for pets and kids unless you way over do it.

It's recommended against using this on anything in the nightshade family because it can spread the tobacco mosaic virus. I'm experimenting with boiling and adding a bit of alcohol to mitigate this by treating my potatoes.
The nicotine that kills the bugs will work on anything with a nervous system, even ladybugs and bees, so be careful there. Now before they're out may be the best time.

 

[Firstflush]

I guess neonicontinoids work. Hard on beneficials though. At my old job we would not sell them.

 

[ShadyStump]

I guess neonicontinoids work. Hard on beneficials though. At my old job we would not sell them.

Yeah, cheap and very effective, but a complete carpet bombing operation. I don't recommend it for routine use. My plan is a treatment as my plants go out, and then in fall when they come back in, but that's it for the year.

 

[LuZiKui]

Picked some. Hosed off tips about 3 times. Neem and soap. This has happened in about 2 weeks. I was on it from the get go. Obviously not enough. There must have been hundreds more than I saw. Every single growing tip. Californians keep an eye out. The short little periods of warmer weather we have been having got the aphid population blowing up.

Dang... thanks for the PSA! I just checked my little cotoneaster and noticed these little green things towards all of the tips. Are these aphids? Did you end up having success with anything to combat them?

 

[Firstflush]

Yah, those are all aphids. They will retard the growth of the entire leader.
1) Hose off and finger flick the big numbers
2) Hort soap and oil spray.

 

[Firstflush]

….and my only JM. I spray for them and hose them off. Every leaf set, every level. Here is some of the chew spots and retarding of growth. The damage is done before the leaves uncurl.…as nubbins. Only 2-3 aphids can do this.

 

[LuZiKui]

….and my only JM. I spray for them and hose them off. Every leaf set, every level. Here is some of the chew spots and retarding of growth. The damage is done before the leaves uncurl.…as nubbins. Only 2-3 aphids can do this.

Man that's brutal! I see what you're saying though, my plant has brown spots all over it where the aphids were. I appreciate your feedback otherwise my plant would be in real bad shape right now. Hope yours is able to recover for the year.

 

[Firstflush]

Not an overall health concern, just aesthetics.