is it too early for insecticidal soap?

pinklady5 · May 20, 2012

My tomato plants have been in the ground for a week now and they are already covered in aphids and those little black gnats. Is it too early to spray with a homemade insecitidal soap? I've never seen my plants attacked so early in the year.

**mdvpc** · May 20, 2012

Pink

I used to have tons of aphids, but got some green lacewings, and that was the end of the aphids. Its a lot easier than spraying all the time.

b54red · May 20, 2012

If they are as bad as you say you may want to use something a little stronger and more effective. I had the same problem last spring with my peppers and had to end up using Permethrin to finally get them under control. I was having to spray with soapy water almost every other day and they continued to get worse until I used the pesticide. Luckily this year the ladybugs have kept the aphids totally under control and stayed around longer than usual. Maybe it is because my bush bean seed were no good this year and I don't have any beans in the garden. Last year the ladybugs were all over my beans and just wouldn't get on my peppers even though they were covered in aphids. Maybe the aphids on beans taste better.

May 20, 2012	#1
pinklady5 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Central NJ Posts: 234	is it too early for insecticidal soap? My tomato plants have been in the ground for a week now and they are already covered in aphids and those little black gnats. Is it too early to spray with a homemade insecitidal soap? I've never seen my plants attacked so early in the year.

May 20, 2012	#2
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Pink I used to have tons of aphids, but got some green lacewings, and that was the end of the aphids. Its a lot easier than spraying all the time. __________________ Michael

May 20, 2012	#3
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	If they are as bad as you say you may want to use something a little stronger and more effective. I had the same problem last spring with my peppers and had to end up using Permethrin to finally get them under control. I was having to spray with soapy water almost every other day and they continued to get worse until I used the pesticide. Luckily this year the ladybugs have kept the aphids totally under control and stayed around longer than usual. Maybe it is because my bush bean seed were no good this year and I don't have any beans in the garden. Last year the ladybugs were all over my beans and just wouldn't get on my peppers even though they were covered in aphids. Maybe the aphids on beans taste better.