Hi we're new to the list and although not avid gardeners we do enjoy
spend time gardening and being in our garden. We live in
Gloucestershire in the UK

We have however been afflicted with a massive infestation of Blackfly
on the ivy surrounding our house. The situation is so bad that you can
see them crawling over the glass and it's not a good idea to even open
the windows. The infestation is spreading to other plants and the
birds that nest in the ivy seem to have given up and gone away.

Can anyone suggest a solution as we are desperate.

Charlie Markwick

"Tom Pearson" wrote in message
...
Hi we're new to the list and although not avid gardeners we do enjoy
spend time gardening and being in our garden. We live in
Gloucestershire in the UK

We have however been afflicted with a massive infestation of Blackfly
on the ivy surrounding our house. The situation is so bad that you can
see them crawling over the glass and it's not a good idea to even open
the windows. The infestation is spreading to other plants and the
birds that nest in the ivy seem to have given up and gone away.

Can anyone suggest a solution as we are desperate.

Leave them be and you will eventually see loads of blue tits and other birds
gobbling them up ravenously to feed nests full of hungry chicks.

"Tom Pearson" wrote in message
...
Hi we're new to the list and although not avid gardeners we do enjoy
spend time gardening and being in our garden. We live in
Gloucestershire in the UK

We have however been afflicted with a massive infestation of Blackfly
on the ivy surrounding our house. The situation is so bad that you can
see them crawling over the glass and it's not a good idea to even open
the windows. The infestation is spreading to other plants and the
birds that nest in the ivy seem to have given up and gone away.

Can anyone suggest a solution as we are desperate.

Charlie Markwick

Use a strong water hose, aphids drown very easily and you will reduce the
numbers substantially, encourage blue tits they will polish off the
survivors, explosions of aphid populations are usually short lived even if
you do nothing, (just about everything eats them!)

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

"Tom Pearson" wrote in message
...
Hi we're new to the list and although not avid gardeners we do enjoy
spend time gardening and being in our garden. We live in
Gloucestershire in the UK

We have however been afflicted with a massive infestation of Blackfly
on the ivy surrounding our house. The situation is so bad that you can
see them crawling over the glass and it's not a good idea to even open
the windows. The infestation is spreading to other plants and the
birds that nest in the ivy seem to have given up and gone away.

Can anyone suggest a solution as we are desperate.

Charlie Markwick


Our Philadelphus seems to be the ultimate blackfly magnet. Last year we
spent hours each day removing them from the flower buds (first time it had
flowered) but they destroyed all the ones we couldn't reach. The local tits
spend hours sitting in the plant (while queuing for the bird table) but
never seem to touch the blackfly. Even the ladybirds fight to get as far
way from them as possible!

Any thoughts?

Willobie

The message
from "Willobie" contains these words:
"Tom Pearson" wrote in message
...

Hi we're new to the list and although not avid gardeners we do enjoy
spend time gardening and being in our garden. We live in
Gloucestershire in the UK

We have however been afflicted with a massive infestation of Blackfly
on the ivy surrounding our house. The situation is so bad that you can
see them crawling over the glass and it's not a good idea to even open
the windows. The infestation is spreading to other plants and the
birds that nest in the ivy seem to have given up and gone away.

Can anyone suggest a solution as we are desperate.

Our Philadelphus seems to be the ultimate blackfly magnet. Last year we
spent hours each day removing them from the flower buds (first time it had
flowered) but they destroyed all the ones we couldn't reach. The local tits
spend hours sitting in the plant (while queuing for the bird table) but
never seem to touch the blackfly. Even the ladybirds fight to get as far
way from them as possible!

Any thoughts?

Yup - but don't tell the EU/DEFRA police: Boil up some rhubarb leaves
and strain the liquor off, then use it as a spray.

Very effective against all aphids.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/