Hi folks,

I have a small herb garden in the front of my house and it's all growing
beatifully except for my poor nasturtiums (Tropaoleum (sp?)) which are
literally BLACK with aphids.

I've prayed for lacewings and ladybugs, and actually saw a ladybug the
other day, but I also now see ants which I guess are protecting the
aphids from the predators!

Any tips? Soapy water? Surrender? There are WAY too many for the
squash-em tactic and it's kind of stomach churning crushing them in
their hundreds...

Thes.

In ,
Thes typed:
Hi folks,

I have a small herb garden in the front of my house and it's all
growing beatifully except for my poor nasturtiums (Tropaoleum (sp?))
which are literally BLACK with aphids.

I've prayed for lacewings and ladybugs, and actually saw a ladybug the
other day, but I also now see ants which I guess are protecting the
aphids from the predators!

Any tips? Soapy water? Surrender? There are WAY too many for the
squash-em tactic and it's kind of stomach churning crushing them in
their hundreds...


Too late now, but my approach is very selective spraying with a contact
isecticide, of heavliy infested growing tips before the problem gets out of
hand - avoiding spraying of the bulk of the plant and leaving lots for the
lacewings etc to tuck into.

pk

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 10:32:16 +0100, Thes wrote:

Any tips? Soapy water?
I sprayed mine with a few drops of washing up liquid in a squirt bottle full of water
and they all seem to have died. I did it every day for a week or so.

Surrender?
Never! :-)

Liz

LizR wrote:
On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 10:32:16 +0100, Thes wrote:


Any tips? Soapy water?

I sprayed mine with a few drops of washing up liquid in a squirt bottle full of water
and they all seem to have died. I did it every day for a week or so.


Surrender?

Never! :-)

Liz


OK then, I'll give that a try. Thanks!

Aphids! Thy doom is FAIRY...

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 10:32:16 +0100, Thes
wrote:

Hi folks,

I have a small herb garden in the front of my house and it's all growing
beatifully except for my poor nasturtiums (Tropaoleum (sp?)) which are
literally BLACK with aphids.

I've prayed for lacewings and ladybugs, and actually saw a ladybug the
other day, but I also now see ants which I guess are protecting the
aphids from the predators!

Any tips? Soapy water? Surrender? There are WAY too many for the
squash-em tactic and it's kind of stomach churning crushing them in
their hundreds...

Thes.

Nippon for the ants and then see if the natural predeters can get to
work BEFORE using the insectiside. Give a blast of the hose pipe a
couple of times and try and wash em off a bit too.

"Thes" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

I have a small herb garden in the front of my house and it's all
growing
beatifully except for my poor nasturtiums (Tropaoleum (sp?)) which
are
literally BLACK with aphids.

I've prayed for lacewings and ladybugs, and actually saw a ladybug
the
other day, but I also now see ants which I guess are protecting the
aphids from the predators!

Any tips? Soapy water? Surrender? There are WAY too many for the
squash-em tactic and it's kind of stomach churning crushing them in
their hundreds...
Thes.

I've stopped growing them for that reason!!

it seems that they hate rich soil and wind.........but whatever I did
I could not get them to grow without infestations of blackfly :~(

Jenny

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 13:48:33 +0100, Thes wrote:

LizR wrote:
On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 10:32:16 +0100, Thes wrote:


Any tips? Soapy water?

I sprayed mine with a few drops of washing up liquid in a squirt bottle full of water
and they all seem to have died. I did it every day for a week or so.


Surrender?

Never! :-)

Liz


OK then, I'll give that a try. Thanks!

Aphids! Thy doom is FAIRY...

I spoke too soon! After 2 weeks of peace, the little blighters are back! On the
nasturtiums this time:-( I went out tonight with my Fairy gun so lets hope they get
the message.

Liz

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 19:57:49 +0200, "JennyC" wrote:


"Thes" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

I have a small herb garden in the front of my house and it's all
growing
beatifully except for my poor nasturtiums (Tropaoleum (sp?)) which
are
literally BLACK with aphids.

I've prayed for lacewings and ladybugs, and actually saw a ladybug
the
other day, but I also now see ants which I guess are protecting the
aphids from the predators!

Any tips? Soapy water? Surrender? There are WAY too many for the
squash-em tactic and it's kind of stomach churning crushing them in
their hundreds...
Thes.

I've stopped growing them for that reason!!

it seems that they hate rich soil and wind.........but whatever I did
I could not get them to grow without infestations of blackfly :~(

Jenny


Herbs I grow indoors on a windowsill except for rosemary (which seems to have no
successful predators, though I often wonder what the cuckoo-spit is doing all over
it) and mint, which is usually very vigourous whatever the circs.

Liz

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 10:32:16 +0100, Thes
wrote:

Hi folks,

I have a small herb garden in the front of my house and it's all growing
beatifully except for my poor nasturtiums (Tropaoleum (sp?)) which are
literally BLACK with aphids.

I've prayed for lacewings and ladybugs, and actually saw a ladybug the
other day, but I also now see ants which I guess are protecting the
aphids from the predators!

Any tips? Soapy water? Surrender? There are WAY too many for the
squash-em tactic and it's kind of stomach churning crushing them in
their hundreds...

Thes.

Nippon for the ants and then see if the natural predeters can get to
work BEFORE using the insectiside. Give a blast of the hose pipe a
couple of times and try and wash em off a bit too.

"Thes" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

I have a small herb garden in the front of my house and it's all
growing
beatifully except for my poor nasturtiums (Tropaoleum (sp?)) which
are
literally BLACK with aphids.

I've prayed for lacewings and ladybugs, and actually saw a ladybug
the
other day, but I also now see ants which I guess are protecting the
aphids from the predators!

Any tips? Soapy water? Surrender? There are WAY too many for the
squash-em tactic and it's kind of stomach churning crushing them in
their hundreds...
Thes.

I've stopped growing them for that reason!!

it seems that they hate rich soil and wind.........but whatever I did
I could not get them to grow without infestations of blackfly :~(

Jenny

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 13:48:33 +0100, Thes wrote:

LizR wrote:
On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 10:32:16 +0100, Thes wrote:


Any tips? Soapy water?

I sprayed mine with a few drops of washing up liquid in a squirt bottle full of water
and they all seem to have died. I did it every day for a week or so.


Surrender?

Never! :-)

Liz


OK then, I'll give that a try. Thanks!

Aphids! Thy doom is FAIRY...

I spoke too soon! After 2 weeks of peace, the little blighters are back! On the
nasturtiums this time:-( I went out tonight with my Fairy gun so lets hope they get
the message.

Liz

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 19:57:49 +0200, "JennyC" wrote:


"Thes" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

I have a small herb garden in the front of my house and it's all
growing
beatifully except for my poor nasturtiums (Tropaoleum (sp?)) which
are
literally BLACK with aphids.

I've prayed for lacewings and ladybugs, and actually saw a ladybug
the
other day, but I also now see ants which I guess are protecting the
aphids from the predators!

Any tips? Soapy water? Surrender? There are WAY too many for the
squash-em tactic and it's kind of stomach churning crushing them in
their hundreds...
Thes.

I've stopped growing them for that reason!!

it seems that they hate rich soil and wind.........but whatever I did
I could not get them to grow without infestations of blackfly :~(

Jenny


Herbs I grow indoors on a windowsill except for rosemary (which seems to have no
successful predators, though I often wonder what the cuckoo-spit is doing all over
it) and mint, which is usually very vigourous whatever the circs.

Liz