Although aphids are tiny, the damage they can do to your garden plants can be huge. If you're a gardener who tries to avoid introducing harsh chemicals and pesticides into your garden, you're in luck, since Mahalo's guide on how to get rid of aphids organically will show you how to do just that.
Featured
Gardener Yolanda Vanveen explains in this video ways to eliminate aphids naturally. She demonstrates how she keeps her organic garden aphid-free by using a mixture of oil and water. Vanveen says if you carefully coat the plant with the oil, the aphids won't survive. She recommends spraying down plants prior to oil application to try and get rid of as many as you can ahead of time.
Introduction
- Aphids are annoying pests that can wreak havoc on your garden by damaging plants' leaves and stunting their growth. Their small size may make them difficult to spot until they have already caused significant damage. However, there are several organic solutions that will help you rid your garden of these annoying little bugs.
Wash Them Away
- Since aphids are so small and light, removing them from plants' leaves with a quick blast from the garden hose may be enough to stop an infestation before it gets too severe. Aphids can usually be found on the underside of leaves, so spray the underside of your leaves with a hose to get the aphids off. The bugs that fall to the ground will die before they have a chance to make it back to the plant.
If your plants are especially delicate and you don't have very many, you can also wipe the plants on a regular basis using a cloth and a mild solution of soap and water.
Organic Pesticide
- You can make your own organic spray to kill aphids on your plants. Mix the following ingredients in a spray bottle:
- A quart of water
- A tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil
- A few drops of liquid soap
Spray your aphid-infested gently plants with this mixture. The soap will kill the aphids and the oil will drag them down and smother them.
Other Bugs
- Aphids act as food to many other bug species, such as ladybugs and lacewings, which will do little, if any damage to your plants. You may be able to purchase these bugs or their larvae from garden shops of by mail order—do so, and then introduce them to your aphid-infested plants. Planting marigolds may also be effective, as it tends to attract bugs that eat aphids.
On the other hand, ants and aphids often go together. Ants will actually kill aphid predators so that they can feast on the nectar that aphids produce. If you see that there are lots of ants in your garden, chances are that you will have to take measures to get rid of them in order to get rid of aphids. Apple cider vinegar reportedly works well as an ant repellent.
Conclusion
As is the case with most garden pests, being able spot and identify an infestation early is your best defense against aphids. One you are aware that there are aphids on your plants, try spraying them with water or an organic pesticide. You can also try introducing beneficial bugs into your garden, which will eat the aphids but not harm most plants.
