Yesterday for the first time I tried spraying a big lupin with warm
water and washing up liquid. The plant was absolutely heaving with
thousands of aphids and starting to look quite poorly and wilting.
Today 99% of the aphids are black, shrivelled and dead. I'm really
impressed how quick and effective it has been.

I sprayed the plant in the full heat and blaze of yesterday afternoons
sun which probably helped kill off the little buggers. I'll spray again
this afternoon which also looks like being a scorcher to see if it will
kill off the remainder. I used about twice the amount of washing up
liquid as I'd use in a washing up bowl for washing dishes but this
amount was only in one of those little plant sprayers. The concentration
seems to have been good.

I'm very impressed with this "non-toxic" approach. :-)
--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

"David in Normandy" wrote in message
...
Yesterday for the first time I tried spraying a big lupin with warm water
and washing up liquid. The plant was absolutely heaving with thousands of
aphids and starting to look quite poorly and wilting.
Today 99% of the aphids are black, shrivelled and dead. I'm really
impressed how quick and effective it has been.

I don't grow lupins because of the huge blue aphids which infested them when
I did.

There was a question on GQT about this yesterday. Someone said that they
were big enough to barbecue - as kebabs.

It amused me.

Mary

Mary Fisher wrote:
I don't grow lupins because of the huge blue aphids which infested them when
I did.

There was a question on GQT about this yesterday. Someone said that they
were big enough to barbecue - as kebabs.

It amused me.

Mary



Yes, there seems to be all sizes from tiny to Godzilla. I'm surprised
the plant was still alive considering the amount of them sucking it's
sap. It was wilting and looked really poorly yesterday. Today it has
perked up and looking happy again.

I noticed the aphids had a bluish tinge about them so wasn't 100% sure
if they were aphids or blackfly. Are they a specific species that preys
on lupins?

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

In article ,
David in Normandy writes:
| Mary Fisher wrote:
| I don't grow lupins because of the huge blue aphids which infested them when
| I did.
|
| There was a question on GQT about this yesterday. Someone said that they
| were big enough to barbecue - as kebabs.

More nutritious than steak, too.

| Yes, there seems to be all sizes from tiny to Godzilla. I'm surprised
| the plant was still alive considering the amount of them sucking it's
| sap. It was wilting and looked really poorly yesterday. Today it has
| perked up and looking happy again.
|
| I noticed the aphids had a bluish tinge about them so wasn't 100% sure
| if they were aphids or blackfly. Are they a specific species that preys
| on lupins?

Essentially, yes. There are dozens of species of aphid common in
the UK (and France), and most are partially host-specific.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On May 12, 12:42 pm, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
In article ,
David in Normandy writes:| Mary Fisher wrote:

| I don't grow lupins because of the huge blue aphids which infested them when
| I did.
|
| There was a question on GQT about this yesterday. Someone said that they
| were big enough to barbecue - as kebabs.

More nutritious than steak, too.

| Yes, there seems to be all sizes from tiny to Godzilla. I'm surprised
| the plant was still alive considering the amount of them sucking it's
| sap. It was wilting and looked really poorly yesterday. Today it has
| perked up and looking happy again.
|
| I noticed the aphids had a bluish tinge about them so wasn't 100% sure
| if they were aphids or blackfly. Are they a specific species that preys
| on lupins?

Essentially, yes. There are dozens of species of aphid common in
the UK (and France), and most are partially host-specific.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


I remember informally seeing mention of "lupin aphids" and you
certainly tend to see them on most lupin plants sooner or later and
they are distinctive through sheer size but here is the lowdown as
found by google:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...upin_aphid.asp

Des Higgins wrote:

I remember informally seeing mention of "lupin aphids" and you
certainly tend to see them on most lupin plants sooner or later and
they are distinctive through sheer size but here is the lowdown as
found by google:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...upin_aphid.asp


Interesting link, thanks Des. I notice they mention a list of chemical
insecticides but surprisingly don't mention the substantially cheaper
and less toxic method I used. I would have thought the RHS would be more
supportive of such approaches.

It's time to go and give the aphids their second shower in two days now :-)

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

In article ,
says...
Mary Fisher wrote:
I don't grow lupins because of the huge blue aphids which infested them when
I did.

There was a question on GQT about this yesterday. Someone said that they
were big enough to barbecue - as kebabs.

It amused me.

Mary



Yes, there seems to be all sizes from tiny to Godzilla. I'm surprised
the plant was still alive considering the amount of them sucking it's
sap. It was wilting and looked really poorly yesterday. Today it has
perked up and looking happy again.

I noticed the aphids had a bluish tinge about them so wasn't 100% sure
if they were aphids or blackfly. Are they a specific species that preys
on lupins?


Yes, Lupin aphids is what they are called! they came over from america in
the 1980 and took hold in Cornwall because of the quantity of Tree lupins
(they used to use them to stabilise the china clap waste tips) they
quickly spread all over europe and unlike all the other aphids seem to
actually kill the plant
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

On May 12, 1:45*pm, David in Normandy
wrote:
Des Higgins wrote:
I remember informally seeing mention of "lupin aphids" and you
certainly tend to see them on most lupin plants sooner or later and
they are distinctive through sheer size but here is the lowdown as
found by google:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...upin_aphid.asp

Interesting link, thanks Des. I notice they mention a list of chemical
insecticides but surprisingly don't mention the substantially cheaper
and less toxic method I used. I would have thought the RHS would be more
supportive of such approaches.

They talk of "fatty acids". Isn't that the active ingredient in soap?

Cat(h)

In article ,
"Cat(h)" writes:
|
| Interesting link, thanks Des. I notice they mention a list of chemical
| insecticides but surprisingly don't mention the substantially cheaper
| and less toxic method I used. I would have thought the RHS would be more
| supportive of such approaches.
|
| They talk of "fatty acids". Isn't that the active ingredient in soap?

Yes.

The reason that they don't mention it is that our Lords and Masters
in Whitehall have made it illegal to use detergent and methylated
spirits, and imposed extra restrictions on horticultural soaps
(such as Savona). A conspiracy theorist would suspect that was
done in arrangement with the agrichemical companies.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On May 12, 10:22*am, David in Normandy
wrote:
Yesterday for the first time I tried spraying a big lupin with warm
water and washing up liquid. The plant was absolutely heaving with
thousands of aphids and starting to look quite poorly and wilting.
Today 99% of the aphids are black, shrivelled and dead. I'm really
impressed how quick and effective it has been.

I sprayed the plant in the full heat and blaze of yesterday afternoons
sun which probably helped kill off the little buggers. I'll spray again
this afternoon which also looks like being a scorcher to see if it will
kill off the remainder. I used about twice the amount of washing up
liquid as I'd use in a washing up bowl for washing dishes but this
amount was only in one of those little plant sprayers. The concentration
seems to have been good.

I'm very impressed with this "non-toxic" approach. :-)

Ditto, and I am taking good note, having planted some broadbeans which
always seem to attract large amounts of black aphids.
I am just wondering just how non-toxic washing up liquid truly is, and
would using something like Ecover's stuff be better than, say, Fairy
Liquid?

Cat(h)

In article ,
"Cat(h)" writes:
|
| I am just wondering just how non-toxic washing up liquid truly is, and
| would using something like Ecover's stuff be better than, say, Fairy
| Liquid?

Very. It's more toxic than soap, but that's almost edible.

The difference is in the adjuncts, and a less poncy one might well
be better.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Des Higgins" wrote in message
...
On May 12, 12:42 pm, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
In article ,
David in Normandy writes:| Mary Fisher wrote:

| I don't grow lupins because of the huge blue aphids which infested
them when
| I did.
|
| There was a question on GQT about this yesterday. Someone said that
they
| were big enough to barbecue - as kebabs.

More nutritious than steak, too.

| Yes, there seems to be all sizes from tiny to Godzilla. I'm surprised
| the plant was still alive considering the amount of them sucking it's
| sap. It was wilting and looked really poorly yesterday. Today it has
| perked up and looking happy again.
|
| I noticed the aphids had a bluish tinge about them so wasn't 100% sure
| if they were aphids or blackfly. Are they a specific species that
preys
| on lupins?

I've only seen them on lupins.

Essentially, yes. There are dozens of species of aphid common in
the UK (and France), and most are partially host-specific.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


I remember informally seeing mention of "lupin aphids" and you
certainly tend to see them on most lupin plants sooner or later and
they are distinctive through sheer size but here is the lowdown as
found by google:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...upin_aphid.asp

But that site says: "This aphid is native to North America and was first
detected in England in 1981"

Well, sorry, but the ones in my garden were in the 1960s. We moved into this
house in 1964 and lupins were already in the garden. I saw the aphids
shortly after and pulled up the plants, never had them (lupins) since.

Perhaps it was only defined as a different aphid from the ones already here
in 1981 but the ones on our lupins were so distinctive that they were
memorable. My mother was a great gardener and always had lupins, I never saw
the aphids on hers but that was before we moved here.

I'm not claiming to be a First ...

Mary

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article
,
"Cat(h)" writes:
|
| Interesting link, thanks Des. I notice they mention a list of
chemical
| insecticides but surprisingly don't mention the substantially cheaper
| and less toxic method I used. I would have thought the RHS would be
more
| supportive of such approaches.
|
| They talk of "fatty acids". Isn't that the active ingredient in soap?

Yes.

The reason that they don't mention it is that our Lords and Masters
in Whitehall have made it illegal to use detergent and methylated
spirits, and imposed extra restrictions on horticultural soaps
(such as Savona). A conspiracy theorist would suspect that was
done in arrangement with the agrichemical companies.

Well, that's not exactly true. It's not permitted to use any preparation
which isn't licensed and soapy water and meths etc. haven't been licensed. I
doubt that one would be banged up for using such things but it is illegal to
unlicensed sell soapy water as a treatment for pests.

Mary

In article ,
"Mary Fisher" writes:
|
| The reason that they don't mention it is that our Lords and Masters
| in Whitehall have made it illegal to use detergent and methylated
| spirits, and imposed extra restrictions on horticultural soaps
| (such as Savona). A conspiracy theorist would suspect that was
| done in arrangement with the agrichemical companies.
|
| Well, that's not exactly true. It's not permitted to use any preparation
| which isn't licensed and soapy water and meths etc. haven't been licensed. I
| doubt that one would be banged up for using such things but it is illegal to
| unlicensed sell soapy water as a treatment for pests.

Can you explain why what I said isn't true?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Mon, 12 May 2008 13:49:55 +0100, Charlie Pridham
wrote:


Yes, Lupin aphids is what they are called! they came over from america in
the 1980 and took hold in Cornwall because of the quantity of Tree lupins
(they used to use them to stabilise the china clap waste tips) they
quickly spread all over europe and unlike all the other aphids seem to
actually kill the plant
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

They don't seem to have got to New Zealand yet. The masses of "wild"
lupins we saw there were totally free of aphids.

Pam in Bristol