Aphids are sap-sucking insects with soft tiny bodies that are very hard to spot in your garden. These insects (aphids) are from the family called Aphididae in the order Hemiptera. There are different types of this insect; aphids can be black, brown, white, gray, light green, red, yellow, or pink. When you see a telltale sign on your plants- yellowing leaves on your plants, holes in your plant’s leaves or sticky spot that later turn black. Then you know that you have an aphid infestation.
Aphids spill sticky substance that is called honeydew; this is part of their waste process, which grows black fungus. Gardeners usually face the problem of these tiny insects, which suck the sap from the plants and cause different problems. If you have this insect in your garden and you want to get rid of them. Here are tips on how to do that.
Spray Water on them: this is an effortless and most effective way to get rid of these insects from your garden without spending a penny. All you have to do is to spray water from your water hose at high pressure on the plants where you spot the insects leeching the sap off your plants; it works on the principle of force. This is an excellent method because after washing them off, birds and ladybugs eat away the scattered aphids. This act as your natural aphid control. When you carry out this method, be sure to do the same process on the bottom of the leaves, as this the favorite spot that aphids to hide. This is because the veins of your plants are present at the bottom and these insects cannot be spotted if they hide under the leaves. When you apply this method 3 to 4 times, you will start seeing that the insect are no longer in your garden.
Remove the Insects yourself: some people don’t like to use any foreign materials in their garden and like to keep it clean and straightforward. Well if you find yourself in this category, then this method is for you. You can remove these insects from your plants yourself, using a brush or a thick cloth. However, do not use this method if the infestation is many. This is because if there are a lot of these insects on multiple plants, you will not be able to carry out this method efficiently. All you need is a pair of gardening gloves and the thick/brush, and you are ready to save your precious plants by removing the leeching aphids.
Reduce The Use Of Fertilizers: when you use fertilizers in your garden correctly, they become very useful in the development of your plants. However, fertilizers can also be a bane to your plants if they are quick-release fertilizers. This is because they encourage the growth of aphids to suck more and more sap from your plant. Reduce the use of fertilizers in your garden if necessary or try not to use any fertilizers at all.
Vegetable Oil Solution: you may think that vegetable oil is only used for the kitchen only, but it’s not. Vegetable oil can also be used to get rid of aphids on your plant. All you need are a vegetable oil, soap, water and a spray bottle. Mix 1 cup of water, 1 cup of vegetable oil, and one tablespoon of dishwashing soap into a spray bottle and shake well. Spray mixture on your plant and the aphids if you see one. However, do not forget to spray it under the leaves as well. Hire a Professional pest control company in Charlotte NC if the problem persists.
