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#1
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Aphid remedies please
A 5 year old bougainvillea is suffering rapid leaf loss. Close inspection
shows aphids to be the villains. It's planted in the soil of the allotment greenhouse. Main concern is preventing the aphids migrating to the newly sprouted seedlings, in trays of compost, nearby. I need to spend some time today with soapy water and brush them off. Q. Can anyone suggest a spray deterrent, to prevent future attacks? I've tried various insecticides in the past (can't remember their names) with no luck. TIA. |
#2
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Aphid remedies please
In article ,
Bertie Doe wrote: A 5 year old bougainvillea is suffering rapid leaf loss. Close inspection shows aphids to be the villains. It's planted in the soil of the allotment greenhouse. Main concern is preventing the aphids migrating to the newly sprouted seedlings, in trays of compost, nearby. I need to spend some time today with soapy water and brush them off. Q. Can anyone suggest a spray deterrent, to prevent future attacks? I've tried various insecticides in the past (can't remember their names) with no luck. TIA. Bluntly, no. I use horticultural soap, which has the advantage that you can spray until they drip, as often as you need, but you can also use dilute washing-up liquid with a squirt of meths in it. That doesn't stop anything invading, but works well on aphids, if the plants are small enough to spray completely. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
#3
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Aphid remedies please
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message news In article , Bertie Doe wrote: snip Q. Can anyone suggest a spray deterrent, to prevent future attacks? I've tried various insecticides in the past (can't remember their names) with no luck. TIA. Bluntly, no. I use horticultural soap, which has the advantage that you can spray until they drip, as often as you need, but you can also use dilute washing-up liquid with a squirt of meths in it. That doesn't stop anything invading, but works well on aphids, if the plants are small enough to spray completely. Thanks Nick, I'll try and get hold of this soap. Over the years, the shrub has been clipped to about 60cm high by 2 metres wide. I've just spent about 30 mins with warm soapy water. Problem is, some of the darker green leaves, which look healthy, drop off when brushed. I'm hoping, this is the shrubs safety mechanism? Also, the plant is contained within a very large earthenware pot, buried up to it's rim in the earth soil. So should be easy to remove. So far, no spread of aphids to veg seedlings nearby. |
#4
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Aphid remedies please
In article ,
Bertie Doe wrote: Bluntly, no. I use horticultural soap, which has the advantage that you can spray until they drip, as often as you need, but you can also use dilute washing-up liquid with a squirt of meths in it. That doesn't stop anything invading, but works well on aphids, if the plants are small enough to spray completely. Thanks Nick, I'll try and get hold of this soap. Over the years, the shrub has been clipped to about 60cm high by 2 metres wide. It's called Savona, but you won't get it from the usual sources, due to politics and bureaucracy. It comes in a gallon container and lasts a long time. But, as I said, washing up liquid and meths works pretty well, according to all reports - I don't know the dilution. I've just spent about 30 mins with warm soapy water. Problem is, some of the darker green leaves, which look healthy, drop off when brushed. I'm hoping, this is the shrubs safety mechanism? Yes. It's very common with tropical plants. Also, the plant is contained within a very large earthenware pot, buried up to it's rim in the earth soil. So should be easy to remove. So far, no spread of aphids to veg seedlings nearby. The advantage of either soft soap or washing up liquid is that the residue is not sticky and, if necessary, washed off with water. The soapy water you used also works, but it's difficult to dissolve well enough to spray, if its real (hard) soap. Most 'liquid soaps' are detergents, with the same active ingredient as washing up liquid and God alone knows how many other chemicals, at a much greater price. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
#5
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Aphid remedies please
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#7
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Aphid remedies please
In article ,
Chris Hogg wrote: The advantage of either soft soap or washing up liquid is that the residue is not sticky and, if necessary, washed off with water. The soapy water you used also works, but it's difficult to dissolve well enough to spray, if its real (hard) soap. Most 'liquid soaps' are detergents, with the same active ingredient as washing up liquid and God alone knows how many other chemicals, at a much greater price. There's this from Spain http://tinyurl.com/k6k3g68 which looks something like it. That is a ridiculously expensive soap for hands. This is the stuff: https://www.koppert.com/pests/aphids...gainst/savona/ Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
#8
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Aphid remedies please
On 16/04/2017 10:56, Bertie Doe wrote:
A 5 year old bougainvillea is suffering rapid leaf loss. Close inspection shows aphids to be the villains. It's planted in the soil of the allotment greenhouse. Main concern is preventing the aphids migrating to the newly sprouted seedlings, in trays of compost, nearby. I need to spend some time today with soapy water and brush them off. Q. Can anyone suggest a spray deterrent, to prevent future attacks? I've tried various insecticides in the past (can't remember their names) with no luck. TIA. Try just plain water but in the spray, with a good pressure behind it knocks them off the plant, this in turn breaks their feeding parts so although it doesn't kill them they die shortly after as they can't feed. Also leaving the greenhouse door open so birds and ladybirds can get in and do their job. -- Charlie Pridham Gardening in Cornwall www.roselandhouse.co.uk |
#9
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Aphid remedies please
On 16/04/2017 10:56, Bertie Doe wrote:
A 5 year old bougainvillea is suffering rapid leaf loss. Close inspection shows aphids to be the villains. It's planted in the soil of the allotment greenhouse. Main concern is preventing the aphids migrating to the newly sprouted seedlings, in trays of compost, nearby. I need to spend some time today with soapy water and brush them off. Check that the plant doesn't react badly to being sprayed with horticultural soap. I ruined a kitchen bay tree once as the soap removed a waxy leaf coating and they all dessicated and dropped off. Q. Can anyone suggest a spray deterrent, to prevent future attacks? I've tried various insecticides in the past (can't remember their names) with no luck. TIA. It is an ornamental so if you really want them dead you can use a potent systemic insecticide that also works on first contact. It isn't like you are going to eat the fruit later. I'm a bit surprised aphids can trouble it so early in the season. -- Regards, Martin Brown |
#10
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Aphid remedies please
Thanks for all the tips. Another attempt with a few drops of washing up
liquid in warm water. Lots more leaves fell off but there is signs of new leaf regeneration on the areas that were treated a week ago. We're 500' up and East facing. I've put the plant outside and giving it a 2nd night at 1C. Kill or cure :-) |
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