How to control aphids without toxic pesticides

Aphids are small, soft-bodied pests that feed on plant sap. There are many types of aphids that range in color and appearance from tiny black specks to the fluffy white woolly aphids. Some common names are Green Fly, Black Fly, and Plant Lice.

These tiny insects are a gardener’s nightmare, as they can infest plants seemingly overnight and can number in the thousands as they multiply unnoticed under leaves. Aphids will suck sap from plants and do severe damage quickly, so jump on them as soon as you see them! Damage from sap sucking can cause plants to wither and eventually die. Every garden will have these pests at some point and every gardener employs a variety of ways to combat them.

They are definitely a community pest, as they normally congregate in groups under the leaves. Their preference for eating is soft, new growth of stems and leaves, so staying alert in the early stages of growth is critical for good control and the least amount of damage. Not only is sucking the sap harmful, but these pests can also carry viruses between plants. That’s a big problem with roses!

There are several ways to control aphids that do not require spraying a toxic pesticide. Many gardening experts suggest removing aphids from a plant with a hose. However, since they really like soft, new growth, exploiting that soft growth can cause more damage to the plant than aphids!

You can also remove them by hand… but when your rose bush is infested with tens of thousands, that’s a bit tricky. Depending on the variety of aphids you are dealing with, some are quite small and removing them would be very tedious work.

Ladybugs LOVE to eat aphids, so many will buy and release a population of ladybugs to control these sap suckers. If you choose that option, be sure to lightly water the surfaces of all pest-harboring plants beforehand so that ladybugs are attracted to the water and then discover the aphids’ buffet.

A very quick and effective solution is to spray infested plants with your favorite all-natural pest control product that is water soluble. Directly spray the infested plant with douches on the top and bottom of the leaves, as well as along the stems. It is best to spray early in the morning or late at night when there is no direct sun on the plant.
Repeat applications for three days or until there is no further evidence of aphids.