On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Perhaps ribbons of coloured paper might do the job.
Something for the organic growers to try out?

Franz

On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 08:28:07 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Perhaps ribbons of coloured paper might do the job.
Something for the organic growers to try out?

))
--
Martin

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs eat
aphids.
Stephen

http://uk.geocities.com/giftideasuk/

http://uk.geocities.com/gardeningforpleasureuk/


"martin" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 08:28:07 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or
yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or
above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Perhaps ribbons of coloured paper might do the job.
Something for the organic growers to try out?

))
--
Martin

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs eat
aphids.
Stephen

http://uk.geocities.com/giftideasuk/

http://uk.geocities.com/gardeningforpleasureuk/


"martin" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 08:28:07 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or
yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or
above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Perhaps ribbons of coloured paper might do the job.
Something for the organic growers to try out?

))
--
Martin

The message
from (Steve Harris) contains these words:

On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)


I've seen aphids on yellow and orange roses and yellow honeysuckle, and
stuck on those bright yellow sticky insect trap-cards. That suggests to
me that the colour is not an aphid deterrent.


Janet

Steve Harris7/1/04 8:00

On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

One of Ray's Christmas presents was "Garlic Loves Roses" - interesting
addition to your search. ;-)
--

Sacha
(remove the 'x' to email me)

Janet Baraclough .. wrote:
The message
from (Steve Harris) contains these words:


On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read


"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "


[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2


So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)


I've seen aphids on yellow and orange roses and yellow honeysuckle, and
stuck on those bright yellow sticky insect trap-cards. That suggests to
me that the colour is not an aphid deterrent.


I agree. Those with a memory for detail and trivia may recall my "Aphid
apocalypse" post from last summer - my yellow and orange nasturtiums
were very definitely NOT avoided by aphids. I guess it could be
something to do with the plants being practically black with the little
blighters...

Certainly didn't work for me!

[Martin Bates]

I have always used a variety of different marigolds around my veggies to get rid of aphids. I always thought that this companion planting worked because hover flies were attracted by the smell of marigolds rather than the colour. The hover flies then eat the aphids. They also look pretty in amongst the leaves of courgettes and tomatoes, etc. I usually start the marigolds off about two or three weeks before the veggie seedlings in a greenhouse, for planting out at the same time.

I also use borage (which is blue or white) between tomatoes and strawberries, which really attracts hover flies (for eating the insects) and especially bees (for pollination). This suggests to me that it is not the colour of the plant. They are also quite pretty flowers on a reasonably tall plant, and look quite impressive in a strawberry bed.

For loads more information on companion plants just search on the web. For flower beds, marigolds are very useful, and if you don't like them, you can hide them at the back of a border or behind a taller plant.

In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?


Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

In article ,
(Janet Baraclough ..) wrote:

I've seen aphids on yellow and orange roses

Obviously the roses were not organic ;-)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

On Wed, 7 Jan 2004 20:51 +0000 (GMT), Steve Harris wrote:

On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)
Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

My yellow motorbike attracts aphids like nothing else I know. The red one
is mostly ignored.

--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

Steve Harris wrote:

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

That's right. If they ate them all, then they would have nothing
left to eat.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

Ditto. The aim of attracting predators of pests is not to wipe out the
pests but to reduce them to manageable levels.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Joni Mitchell sang "give me spots on my apples, leave me the birds
and the bees".

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Your mileage obviously varied but sounds like you were trying to hit a
different target.
--
Nick Wagg

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Yes: Pest control by the use of predators is a load of codswallop.

Franz

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Yes: Pest control by the use of predators is a load of codswallop.

Franz