# Can't get rid of aphids



## cee (Jan 25, 2009)

I have been trying to control and get rid of aphids for months now and it is pissing me off. I cleaned both rooms and started some new pepper plants which soon had aphids again. Now all my plants are doing pretty well but still aphids. I have been spraying every 2 - 3 days with a soy based spray then having lights off for awhile to try to get rid of them but they keep coming back. They like the pepper leaves the most but are now getting into my cilantro and parsley so now i am spraying everything. Any other ideas????


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## Roseman (Jan 26, 2009)

*Aphids *- Aphids are soft-bodied insects that use their piercing sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap. They usually occur in colonies on the undersides of tender terminal growth. Heavily-infested leaves can wilt or turn yellow because of excessive sap removal. Aphids produce large amounts of a sugary liquid waste called "honeydew". The honeydew that drops from these insects can spot the windows and finish of cars parked under infested trees. A fungus called sooty mold can grow on honeydew deposits that accumulate on leaves and branches, turning them black. The appearance of sooty mold on plants may be the first time that an aphid infestation is noticed. The drops can attract other insects such as ants, that will feed on the sticky deposits. Infestations generally result from small numbers of winged aphids that fly to the plant and find it to be a suitable host. They deposit several wingless young on the tenderest tissue before moving on to find a new plant. The immature aphids, or nymphs, that are left behind feed on plant sap and increase gradually in size. They mature in 7 to 10 days and then are ready to produce live young. Usually, all of them are females and each is capable of producing 40 to 60 offspring. The process is repeated several times, resulting in a tremendous population explosions. Less than a dozen aphid "colonizers" can produce hundreds to thousands of aphids on a plant in a few weeks. Aphid numbers can build until conditions are so crowded, or the plant is so stressed, that winged forms are produced. These winged forms fly off in search of new hosts and the process is repeated. 


*Solution *- Early detection is the key to reducing aphid infestations. The flight of winged colonizers cannot be predicted, so weekly examination of plants will help to determine the need for control. Examine the bud area and undersides of the new leaves for clusters or colonies of small aphids. The presence of these colonies indicates that the aphids are established on the plants and their numbers will begin to increase rapidly. Fatty acid salts or insecticidal soaps are very good against aphids. They apparently work to disrupt insect cell membranes. They require direct contact with the insects and leave no residual effect. Nervous system insecticides, such as malathion, Dursban (chlorpyrifos), and Orthene (acephate), are labeled for use on many shade trees and ornamental plants for aphid control. As with soaps, coverage is very important and a follow-up application may be necessary. Sevin (carbaryl) is not effective against many aphids so it is generally not a good choice for control unless recommended specifically. In fact, applications of Sevin may reduce the number of beneficial insects, such as lady beetles, and increase the potential for aphid outbreaks. Beneficial insects, such as lady beetles and lacewings may eat large numbers of aphids but the reproductive capability of aphids is so great that the impact of the natural enemies may not be enough keep these insects at or below acceptable levels. To keep aphids and other pests off your plants just finely chop1 onion and 2 medium cloves of garlic. Put ingredients into a blender with 2 cups of water and blend on high. Strain out pulp. Pour liquid into spray bottle. Spray a fine mist on plants, making sure to coat both tops and bottoms of leaves. 


and here too:

Guaranteed Cure for Thrips + other pests! All Natural! - Marijuana Growing


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## ironheadxl (Feb 2, 2009)

When I grow garlic (those bulbs from the store work just fine) next to my roses my roses get relly happy and the aphids are nowhere to be seen. Other solutions Dr Bronners Perppermint soap Red Hot Chilli Wax spray benificial nematodes....good luck!


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## misshestermoffitt (Feb 4, 2009)

Cee, you need to spray your pepper plants about every 3 days for a good 3 weeks to make sure their gone. Use a mild soapy water. Then after they're gone, I'd spray at least once a week for a while, just for good measure. 



Iron head, grow some chives near your roses too, chives helps prevent black spot on roses.


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## kaos.underwave (Feb 4, 2009)

aphids were all over my pepper for ages... the soapy water spray didnt really work that well because they hide so good. In the end, I have eliminated most of them by spending a few minutes every day just looking over the plant and squashing the bastards. Of course this is easier and quicker than it sounds because they decimated most of her leaves.

Just sayin, the most effective way I found so far is to use the shower and my fingers to rid her of large infestations, and then clean up by checking thoroughly every day and killing every single one I can see. yesterday there were about 20 that I could find, today only 10 or so. No eggs, so if you can kill the last one and stop em from coming back youre safe


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## TheRuiner (Feb 5, 2009)

I'm having the same problem with aphids on my pepper plant, my wife got it for me for my b-day and about 1 week later i notice a ton of the little boogers, they Trojan horsed there way in on the pepper plant! I'm trying to kill them by squishing them but I can't seem to get them all, I always miss one so there back in a few days. I put a venus fly trap next to it, but it only catches the air born ones and by the time they're that old they've already been around to long. What a pain in the butt...


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## misshestermoffitt (Feb 5, 2009)

Grow some coriander too. Ahpids and spider mites hate that stuff, they'll stay away from it.


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## bunghole (Feb 5, 2009)

misshestermoffitt said:


> Grow some coriander too. Ahpids and spider mites hate that stuff, they'll stay away from it.


Coriander is another name for cilantro, correct?


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## TheRuiner (Feb 6, 2009)

I want them gone, not just moving from my pepper plant to the plant furthest from the coriander... but low and behold, I didn't see any yesterday, nor this morning, I guess I'll find out soon enough, but I think I squished all the dumb little brains out!!! Haha!


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## South Texas (Feb 8, 2009)

Yes, same thing. Beneficial nematodes will take care of the little buggers.



bunghole said:


> Coriander is another name for cilantro, correct?


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## apasunee (Feb 8, 2009)

I like the method that roseman put up for aphids, has many people had luck with that method?


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## smokinHerbOnDaCurb (Feb 8, 2009)

peper attracts pest try a natural waay of getting rid of them.


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## marijuanavillebilly (Feb 8, 2009)

simply get a spray bottle, put about a teaspoon of dawn in the bottle, and add warm water.

shake never stir. then give every inch of your plants a good wash.
now watch the aphids run for cover, and then when they get the soapy mixture on them they will turn grey and die.

after about 5 minutes of soaking spray off the plant(s) with regular water and do this 2 or 3 times a day for a week.

they may never come back after the first try, just check on them every now and again.

hope this helps.


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## TheRuiner (Feb 9, 2009)

marijuanavillebilly said:


> simply get a spray bottle, put about a teaspoon of dawn in the bottle, and add warm water.
> 
> shake never stir. then give every inch of your plants a good wash.
> now watch the aphids run for cover, and then when they get the soapy mixture on them they will turn grey and die.
> ...


I heard about a method like this to kill wasps, I think I'll try it because I spoke to soon, I didn't squish them all and I found them making a play ground out of my pepper plant again this weekend,... I realllly need to kill them before they spread, if they haven't already.


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## gwerns nugs (Feb 11, 2009)

okay here it is. pytherium bomb....origionated from crysanthimum (that how u spell it) dissipates off your plant no matter wat type of plant in roughly 2 days NATURALLY BY SUNLIGHT DEGRATION. For some unknown reason my room is always once a cycle plauged with a round of them....i try neem but the pytherium bomb is the way to go. You can get it at any grow store/home depot etc....VIP****** TURN OFF FANS-SECURE DOOR/WHATEVER NO AIR in OR OUT...YOU WANT THOSE BASTARDS TO SUFFOCATE.....leave for 5 hours (says 4) did 5 to be safe then vented like a mad man b4 lights turnd on......NEVER see em again until i start next round....prolly time to clean my vents.....lol


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## cee (Mar 31, 2009)

My aphids like my cilantro (coriander) they keep coming back to it in my veg room so I am working on that one now with a soy based soapy mix called supernatural I. So i can't agree with them not liking coriander. They stay away from my maryjane leaves-must not be moist enough. Mainly like cilantro, and pepper plants.


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## apasunee (Apr 1, 2009)

Ive tried this soapy water way just as you described, many, many, many times as did a lot of other people I know,, the little bastards run underneath the soil as soon as you start spraying and come right back out afterwards,,, this ONLY kills the ones that you actually spray....... THIS DEFINATELY DID NOT WORK FOR ME AND OTHERS,,,,,, DEBUNKED...........


marijuanavillebilly said:


> simply get a spray bottle, put about a teaspoon of dawn in the bottle, and add warm water.
> 
> shake never stir. then give every inch of your plants a good wash.
> now watch the aphids run for cover, and then when they get the soapy mixture on them they will turn grey and die.
> ...


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## South Texas (Apr 5, 2009)

The solution is in the Library at the Dirt Doctor web site. Click Library, then Aphids. Most solutions can be found there.


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## bicycle racer (Apr 5, 2009)

predatory mites nematodes lady bugs praying mantis diotamacious earth(misspelled) neem oil or pyrethrum or tobacco water sprays.


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## Guru's Apprentice (Apr 5, 2009)

I use Neem oil for aphid control outside on my Japanese Maples and fruit trees. It really seems to work quite well for me. I live in a humid southern environment. I had a real problem on my 2 year old apple trees. The Neem oil cleared them up in a matter of weeks along with my brother and I pinching the heads off any aphid that showed up durin the 3 week period.


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## John123john (Oct 18, 2017)

I have a never ending battle with these little guy's every year called aphids. In a large garden it is impossible to get 100 per cent coverage by tank spraying.If you miss one leaf your screwed!! I have some Pyrenone crop spray that I want to try. Online it suggests mixing it with other insecticides. Has anyone here had GOOD success with this product. If so what other product did you mix with it?? And the mixing rate also please.


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## dannyboy602 (Oct 18, 2017)

You can mix pesticides but why bother when aphids are easy to eradicate. You neglected to mention and so I have to ask...is your grow indoors or out? If indoors don't spray anything stronger than an oil spray or better yet Safer Soap. Which is nothing more than potassium salts of fatty acids. If outdoors you can spray same or something a little stronger. Permithrin is an insecticide I've used extensively and would recommend.
Don't use a product much stronger than that. It's overkill. Another thing obviously that will kill soft bodied insects is cold and depending where you live you may or may not just be going into a cooler pattern.
Also, vinegar works as does alcohol. A mixture of dish soap and vinegar might be all you need. I'd start there.


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## farmerfischer (Jan 20, 2018)

use bubbles , the kind kids play with.. its milder then dish soap and a lot easier on plants.. I used dawn and rubbing alcohol mixed in water and I ended up using to much soap and fried the lease.. bubbles you can mix at any ratio and it won't burn leaves..


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## ruby fruit (Feb 4, 2018)

Soapy water and a slice of crushed super hot chilli powder no less hot than a habenero.
Works 100% twice weekly spray for 2 weeks


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## Rob Roy (Mar 14, 2018)

Lady bugs are a little slower than some other methods like using hot pepper spray but they do work. 

Amazon and other online sources will send you live lady bugs and they're fairly inexpensive. If you do use hot pepper spray, (which is a good way to kill bugs and stay organic) you might want to try that before you try lady bugs since they might not want their food source heavily spiced.


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## 420producer (Mar 14, 2018)

if your using organics stop.. hit them with some H2O2. the 29% wait for the sizzle...'you know its working'. hit them again with half strength h2o2. and fly strips 10 for a buck and hang them thru out your space . you want to kill any larvae down there. and use some mycos on next feeding.


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## 420producer (Mar 14, 2018)

Rob Roy said:


> Lady bugs are a little slower than some other methods like using hot pepper spray but they do work.
> 
> Amazon and other online sources will send you live lady bugs and they're fairly inexpensive. If you do use hot pepper spray, (which is a good way to kill bugs and stay organic) you might want to try that before you try lady bugs since they might not want their food source heavily spiced.


heres the thing about lady bugs. they handle business. no doubt. but they are not dumb and will leave a plant infested to return to eat.seen it before


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## Rob Roy (Mar 14, 2018)

420producer said:


> heres the thing about lady bugs. they handle business. no doubt. but they are not dumb and will leave a plant infested to return to eat.seen it before


If there is an abundant supply of food (like a large aphid population) lady bugs will breed and their immature off spring will not be able to fly away and they feed heavily on the aphids. The larvae look almost like an insect alligator.

But you're right, the mature ones often fly off and some drug addled ones even do the kamikaze thing right into the high intensity light.


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## Tim1987 (Mar 14, 2018)

dannyboy602 said:


> You can mix pesticides but why bother when aphids are easy to eradicate. You neglected to mention and so I have to ask...is your grow indoors or out? If indoors don't spray anything stronger than an oil spray or better yet Safer Soap. Which is nothing more than potassium salts of fatty acids. If outdoors you can spray same or something a little stronger. Permithrin is an insecticide I've used extensively and would recommend.
> Don't use a product much stronger than that. It's overkill. Another thing obviously that will kill soft bodied insects is cold and depending where you live you may or may not just be going into a cooler pattern.
> Also, vinegar works as does alcohol. A mixture of dish soap and vinegar might be all you need. I'd start there.


This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Fantastic advice!!!!


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