Aphids on seedlings...

mecktom · March 27, 2012

My plants are about 6 inches tall and I have noticed a few aphids on them. What is a good solution for this? malthaion or insecticidal soap and does anyone have a preferred mix for the latter? Thanks.

Tracydr · April 4, 2012

Hi, Mecktom. I saw that nobody helped you with this. I usually spray a blast of water everyday to control the aphids. If you don't want to do this, a soap spray, made with a tablespoon of Dr. Bonner's peppermint castille soap ( liquid), with a few drops of veggie oil will also work, sprayed on in early morning or better yet, evening.
Or, diatomaceous earth, will dessicans their little soft bodies. Just make jusre to dust the tops and bottoms of each leaf and reapply if they get wet.

b54red · April 4, 2012

If you have only a light infestation the soapy water applied late in the afternoon should keep them under control. If it doesn't then you can move up to using a little pyrethrem in the soapy water and that should take care of them.

I don't think you will have to go all the way up to malathion. If you do use it then make sure to use it carefully and keep the solution as mild as possible because malathion can cause leaf damage to tomatoes if it is applied in a too strong solution or when the sun is on the plants.

rsg2001 · April 11, 2012

Using malathion on aphids is like using an atomic bomb - much too much of a big gun for the job. Aphids are pretty easy. If the soapy water doesn't do it, then go with insecticidal soap or Hot Pepper Wax spray, both of which don't contain chemicals.

As far as diatomacous earth, I used to use that for bigger slower 'juicy' soft-bodied crawlies, specifically slugs, until I read more about how it actually works. It has microscopic sharp edges and nicks the bug so it slowly dries out. I would think that if you dusted plants with it, it would mainly blow off. That seemed kind of cruel albeit effective. So I use now one of the many ferrous sulfate-based pellets (Sluggo is one of the name brands), and that works pretty well and is harmless if eaten by pets or other animals.

OneDahlia · April 11, 2012

I have aphids on my seedlings in my basement too.

I've never had aphids before, that I know of. I sprayed off each plant last weekend with a spray bottle set on "stream," and then sprayed them with soapy water, and then rinsed with a spray of clean water as I read online at the time (though maybe that wasn't necessary). That did get rid of most of them, but I still see a few aphids and have been squishing them as I see them. Should probably spray again.

I'm baffled as to how they got into my basement. I don't have any houseplants there. These plants took a couple brief trips outside into the driveway last month, but that's been their only contact with the outside world.

By the way, I just used the soap I had -- Costco's dish soap. NOT antibacterial, as I read to avoid that.

ddsack · April 12, 2012

Quote:

I'm baffled as to how they got into my basement. I don't have any houseplants there. These plants took a couple brief trips outside into the driveway last month, but that's been their only contact with the outside world.

That's all it takes! Only one year have I had aphids on my pepper seedlings, and they must have come from the surrounding grass, even though the trays were raised up above it and it was so early in the season that I would not have expected aphids to be active. I usually just squish with my fingers, or poke them off with a toothpick while looking over the plants in bright light. If you water spray or soap spray, turn the plants on their sides, or as close to upsidedown as you can, since most aphids are on the leaf underside where a top spray won't touch them. I personally don't like using soap on seedlings because the chance of getting it in what little soil they are growing in. In the garden, no problem.

OneDahlia · April 12, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddsack

That's all it takes! Only one year have I had aphids on my pepper seedlings, and they must have come from the surrounding grass, even though the trays were raised up above it and it was so early in the season that I would not have expected aphids to be active. I usually just squish with my fingers, or poke them off with a toothpick while looking over the plants in bright light. If you water spray or soap spray, turn the plants on their sides, or as close to upsidedown as you can, since most aphids are on the leaf underside where a top spray won't touch them. I personally don't like using soap on seedlings because the chance of getting it in what little soil they are growing in. In the garden, no problem.

Yeah, I won't use soap again. In the future, I'll stick with trying to spray them off with water. I retreated the plants because I started seeing more baby aphids and I was afraid they'd spread to the younger seedlings, and I'm regretting it.

They're looking very sad. I hope they make it. Ah well, first painful gardening lesson of the year.

RayR · April 12, 2012

In my basement, the aphids go right to the basil seedlings and do not touch the tomatoes, peppers or anything else, and it's not just a few aphids, it's an infestation. One shot with a pyrethrin and canola oil mix like Pyola or Monterey Take Down Garden Spray and no more aphids, just dead ones.

March 27, 2012	#1
mecktom Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Southern Virginia Posts: 342	Aphids on seedlings... My plants are about 6 inches tall and I have noticed a few aphids on them. What is a good solution for this? malthaion or insecticidal soap and does anyone have a preferred mix for the latter? Thanks.

April 4, 2012	#2
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Hi, Mecktom. I saw that nobody helped you with this. I usually spray a blast of water everyday to control the aphids. If you don't want to do this, a soap spray, made with a tablespoon of Dr. Bonner's peppermint castille soap ( liquid), with a few drops of veggie oil will also work, sprayed on in early morning or better yet, evening. Or, diatomaceous earth, will dessicans their little soft bodies. Just make jusre to dust the tops and bottoms of each leaf and reapply if they get wet.

April 4, 2012	#3
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	If you have only a light infestation the soapy water applied late in the afternoon should keep them under control. If it doesn't then you can move up to using a little pyrethrem in the soapy water and that should take care of them. I don't think you will have to go all the way up to malathion. If you do use it then make sure to use it carefully and keep the solution as mild as possible because malathion can cause leaf damage to tomatoes if it is applied in a too strong solution or when the sun is on the plants.

April 11, 2012	#4
rsg2001 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Zone 6 Posts: 479	Using malathion on aphids is like using an atomic bomb - much too much of a big gun for the job. Aphids are pretty easy. If the soapy water doesn't do it, then go with insecticidal soap or Hot Pepper Wax spray, both of which don't contain chemicals. As far as diatomacous earth, I used to use that for bigger slower 'juicy' soft-bodied crawlies, specifically slugs, until I read more about how it actually works. It has microscopic sharp edges and nicks the bug so it slowly dries out. I would think that if you dusted plants with it, it would mainly blow off. That seemed kind of cruel albeit effective. So I use now one of the many ferrous sulfate-based pellets (Sluggo is one of the name brands), and that works pretty well and is harmless if eaten by pets or other animals.

April 11, 2012	#5
OneDahlia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: 7a NO. VA. Posts: 202	I have aphids on my seedlings in my basement too. I've never had aphids before, that I know of. I sprayed off each plant last weekend with a spray bottle set on "stream," and then sprayed them with soapy water, and then rinsed with a spray of clean water as I read online at the time (though maybe that wasn't necessary). That did get rid of most of them, but I still see a few aphids and have been squishing them as I see them. Should probably spray again. I'm baffled as to how they got into my basement. I don't have any houseplants there. These plants took a couple brief trips outside into the driveway last month, but that's been their only contact with the outside world. By the way, I just used the soap I had -- Costco's dish soap. NOT antibacterial, as I read to avoid that.

April 12, 2012	#8
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	In my basement, the aphids go right to the basil seedlings and do not touch the tomatoes, peppers or anything else, and it's not just a few aphids, it's an infestation. One shot with a pyrethrin and canola oil mix like Pyola or Monterey Take Down Garden Spray and no more aphids, just dead ones.