The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsYellow Aphids!!!
This year when I grew 40 healthy milkweed plants for Monarch caterpillars, yellow aphids attacked the plants daily. I could keep them down by every day crushing them with my fingers (a sticky mess) but after I let them go for a week, they were on every plant and damned near every stem and leaf. I didn't want to use insecticide because I thought the Monarchs might still come.
So last week, I went out (thinking the Monarchs weren't coming this year--last year they had left by this time but the population got hammered in Mexico last winder so they didn't come until late) with a spray bottle of 1/4 soap to water. Somehow 5-6 Monarch caterpillars were on the milkweed plants along with thousands of aphids.
I sprayed and it killed many aphids, but I think it made the leaves inedible and the Monarch caterpillars weren't there when I checked 2 days later.
Does anyone know what I should do next year?
Help. How do I discourage the aphids without discouraging the Monarchs????
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)totally organic, but Daves has a lot of good forums
Phoenix61
(17,015 posts)It's safe for pollinators and should do the trick on the aphids.
Warpy
(111,331 posts)Quite a few ant varieties are aphid farmers, meaning they distribute the aphids all over the place and feed on the sticky residue they leave on stems. The best way to deal with aphids or any other non flying small pest is with a hard spray from a garden hose. Once you knock the pests off the plant, they'll be to soggy and discouraged to make the enormous hike back to the garden. You'll also get rid of the sticky, sugary stuff the ants feed on, so the ants will be lesa attracted to the garden and maybe more attracted to weeds like poke and jewel weed instead of your tomatoes.
And if you track the aphid farmer ants back to their nest, some boiling water down the hole will take care of them.
skip fox
(19,359 posts)but have never seen then.
lapfog_1
(29,219 posts)and I remember something about coffee (spray or grounds) that discourage aphids. google tells me the coffee grounds are a myth... sigh.
Laffy Kat
(16,386 posts)I guess you'd just let them go on the garden with the problem and if there's a food sources there they'll hang out 'til it's gone.
Eko
(7,339 posts)Natural Aphid Control with Aphid Hunter Wasps
"Ditch the carcinogenic pesticides and follow natures model with biological aphid control. Many of you probably know that ladybird beetles aka lady bugs and their larvae eat aphids but did you know that there are several other insects you can attract to your garden that just as eagerly devour those pesky aphids?"
https://steemit.com/gardening/@jetjockey/natural-aphid-control-with-aphid-hunter-wasps
Donkees
(31,450 posts)I think a soft brush attachment would work better
skip fox
(19,359 posts)but probably too many to vacuum.
Looks like it's worth a try, as many of the other suggestions.
LeftInTX
(25,515 posts)You can apply soap when monarchs aren't around. A hard stream of water can help dislodge them.
https://monarchjointventure.org/resources/faq/aphids-on-milkweed