Pam Rudd writes:
"David Auker" scribbled:
I brought some sweet pepper plants inside for the winter, and they have
quite a zillion aphids enjoying themselves right now. I hosed and doused
with soapy water. I'm going to try dabbing leaves/stems with diluted
rubbing alcohol.

Can you suggest any home remedies?

Invite a ladybug in for the winter. Don't laugh, I did that last
year when a hibiscus I was over wintering was covered in
aphids. Every now and again she'd wander out of the plant
room and I'd just take her back. One day in March I found her

Don't forget that there are two types of ladybugs (at least there are
two types here in Australia). One type eats aphids, so it is said, while
the other type eats the leaves. Just make sure you get the appropriate
one! Most of the ones I find on plants seem to be the latter, greedily
munching holes in pumpkin plants and potato leaves. I squash them under
foot.

To the OP: dilute methylated spirits with water in a ratio 1:3 and spray
it onto your leaves, especially the new leaf tips. The aphids will die
immediately, and they die happy. I have not tried it on peppers, but have
sprayed many plants with no adverse effects, though if you have any
reservations, test it on one plant first, and wait a day or two before
spraying the others.
--
John Savage (news address invalid; keep news replies in newsgroup)