How I control aphids

Aphids are one of the most common pests in the garden, weakening plants and spreading disease but you can fight back and learn some simple solutions to deal with them without reaching for the pesticide sprays.
Aphids can be a problem on many different plants in the garden but if you can manage your aphid problem early it can make a huge difference.
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[@ChiChi75169]

Thank you so much Eli!!! I noticed a white aphid infestation on my dino kale this morning and was horrified 🤯 Your advice could not be more timely - about to storm the bed with my jet stream. I am a new gardener and really appreciate all of your videos 🤗

[@eliandkate]

Storm away!!!!!!!

[@ClaireRousseau]

I had a pretty bad aphid infestation on one of my nasturtiums, but since I planted them partly as a trap crop, I didn't worry so much about it. I just went and tried hosing them off, just to practice the technique on a plant I'm not counting on harvesting, and it worked super well. The plant is still past its best but now I should be able to harvest seeds from it to replant next year. Thank you!

[@eliandkate]

Oh fab! That’s a result!

[@GardenerScott]

I completely agree! I don't worry about the pests in my garden. Awareness helps determine a plan. After squishing, I love that I see a few aphids on plants because I know ladybugs and lacewings will be on the plants a few days later. Great video!

[@carmengiles456]

Thanks Eli. I believe it was one of your video's that I watched last year & learnt the hose-pipe method; it works a treat & is my go to method. Like you, as soon as I spot ants on my plants I know the aphids have moved in, now I know why 😅

[@eliandkate]

Time to be vigilant 🤣

[@lindaware3082]

Your better than gardener world!!! 👍

[@eliandkate]

😂😂😂😂 steady

[@cherylhowker1792]

I’ve had issues the last 2 years and now you have explained it I understand why. And why they start there and move to other plants. It’s on old fruit trees that don’t fruit any more and it’s coz they drinking the sap. But they are so bad that the tree is suffering. So we have taken all the green leaves off and got rid of ithem. But that explains why they are there in the first place. So I know now to keep all green off the trees- I hang bird feeders on the branches so don’t want to loose the entire tree. One we got rid of last year as it was like it and decided it had to go as affected the entire garden, but it’s also ment this year with the new design stuff we have done the tree had to go anyways. So it’s a good thing. As you say it’s staying on top of it. Thanks as always for explaining this in a better more understandable way. I personally appreciate it and come to your channel outta all if searching for something

[@eliandkate]

Hope it helps for the coming years 😍

[@notionbonsai]

This was very interesting! Thank you for this! 😊

[@moonwrasse]

Great video, I don’t worry outside too much as nature will sort it out most if the time, but I had to resort to neem oil early in the season in the greenhouse as I had an Aphid problem. A lot of plants got very twisted and stressed. Neem sorted it out.

[@ritalr15]

I have had the ladybirds to help out in the garden. And i try and pick them off. Time to get out and water and check my plants

[@thetinygarden_]

Great video Eli, very interesting! I had a real bad problem with black cherry aphid I left it alone hoping for a lady bird army to arrive naturally 😅 next time I'll have the hose at the ready, thanks for sharing 🌱🙃

[@dustyflats3832]

SIL used soap spray on apple tree and left it on and she had spots develop on leaves. I usually don’t have aphids probably because it’s so dry. I do have potato beetles a plenty this year. I tried flor and baking soda to shake on, but that didn’t do it as the beetles were exploding and that’s after I squash a million eggs. Then I tried horticultural oil and that worked earlier on aphids that I had inside on seedlings, but not these. Then I pulled out Captain Jacks Spinosad And that did it! Thankfully as I have a lot of spuds. Haven’t seen any. We got a half inch of rain last night!!! WooHoo🎉. And a small downpour this am. Watch the aphids move in😂😂

[@CMDRSloma]

I don't bother with aphids outside, I unleash my hoverfly army at them. I interplant, caraway, parsley, dill, coriander and similar like crazy and let them flower. My army overwhelms them and wins all the time. BUAHAHAHAH (evil laugh). Seriously, not worth the stress of panicking over aphids outdoors. Different story indoors.

[@eliandkate]

Ha ha ha Inlike that. Your army This is exactly the tip I have about planting to encourage beneficial insects

[@oreopaksun2512]

I didn't think I was particularly bloodthirsty; but boy, it was so fun to watch a bird dive in and snack on my tomato hornworms. Peck, peck, peck! Go predators!

[@eliandkate]

😂😂😂😂

[@marie-theresehayes6875]

Was away on holiday. When I came back one of my lupins had been completely destroyed by lupin aphids. Had to pull the plant as it was beyond recovery.

[@TheJlambe1]

I had an infestation on my clematis a few weeks ago and used organic soap, veg oil and bicarb spray. Worked a treat. Would prefer not tobuse it on my veg though!

[@JohnNaismith-k7e]

I've used SB Plant Invigorator for years (nearly 20 now) on pests like this. Despite the dodgy sounding name its still the best thing I've found for spidermite infestations in greenhouses etc. I just use it as and when required although regular use is recommended. Its got some soap in there for a surfactant and a few other ingredients - concentrate bottles (250ml) never seem to go off. Won't work for whitefly though. Tried Neem oil & frankly the aphids can eat whatever they like if my only choice is that - it takes forever to get rid of the smell if you spill even a drop!

[@eliandkate]

It smells awful 😢

[@cindynielson4231]

Thanks for all the great info. I did not realize that ants were good for aphids. 👍

[@eliandkate]

Yeah good for the aphids, not so much for me 😂😂😂

[@CSaville]

Last year my plants, particularly my chillis were infested with them in the greenhouse. I used neem oil and the RHS soap spray, sprayed them off everything I could and they still hung around. This year so far none ( I probably shouldn't have said that) I have noticed a lot of hover flies in the greenhouse this year and even some damsel flies. I shall probably now be set upon by a plague of locusts but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that last years bumper crop of aphids provided food for this years hoverflies. I'm going to build the biggest bug hotel I can this year! 😁

[@eliandkate]

Hover flies are eating them! 😍😍😍

[@margaretalice6343]

Years ago I got hundreds of green aphids on my lupin buds. I was going to spray before I did I watched small bird’s cleaning the flower spires clean Let the birds and beneficial insects their stuff first

[@eliandkate]

😂

[@carolinebown8686]

Great video as always ... I was wondering ... is a soap spray any use on those beasties ( spotted them on my out doors Tomatoes this weekend 😮 ) 🪻🌷🌻🌻🌻

[@lorelynleisure4048]

Ugh! I have a non-fragrant honeysuckle and from the time it was fully leafed-out it was covered with aphids this year! I haven't seen any ants surprisingly. I tried picking off all the stem ends covered with them and that didn't help. I have been spraying it with a jet spray from every angle about every 2 days and that has helped a lot. I'm still not seeing the humming birds I usually do but I'm hoping that it will reflower and the birds will be back. I plan to cut it back quite a bit this winter.

[@Sarcasticallyinspired]

I had no idea you could buy ladybirds through the post. I have seen ants and little bugs on a few things in the garden, but like you said, its all part of the ecosystem so I've left them be

[@cherylhowker1792]

I tried it last year to save my tree- ended up loosing the tree to save the garden. The poor ladybug 🐞 only a few alive thee we rest looked liked they had died while in transit I would say a cardboard box isn’t a good place for them- they had tiny air holes but like no food or water available in any forms. I’m not saying they should have that gold standard or anything but minimal standard stuff. Maybe I’m silly think it possible- I do have autism and would expect all animals and wildlife to have the same protection They don’t I know

[@ninemoonplanet]

I didn't know that parsnip flowers are where ladybug larvae begin their lives, so this year I have those blooming, carrots coming into bloom, and lemon balm which doesn't have any aphids. Tansy is a plant ants don't like, I don't have it this year, but I think I have a plant close to it growing. It's called phacelia, attracts all the different predators as well as birds (according to what I read).

[@eliandkate]

Oh excellent!

[@christinamoxon]

I have to say I don't really look for aphids. I did notice the little birds frequently visiting my winter flowers on my table this spring, to eat up the early bugs The hoverflies and other aphid predators we have usually take care of the rest. As you say, a hose down will fix it if it gets bothersome. It's the ruddy slug population that's out of control here. I need a family of hedgehogs. Unfortunatley they don't like sharing a space with a 50 kilo retriever. Can't think why. 😆

[@eliandkate]

😂😂😂😂

[@katieakakt]

Bloody love you!!! Xx

[@eliandkate]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@lornaburgess9762]

Eli, my neighbour told me to make a spray of 1 tsp washing up liquid and 5 drops of citronella to put over my willow ,will this work for blackfly?. Lorna 😁

[@eliandkate]

I wouldn’t recommend washing up liquid That’s what I spoke about in that video I mentioned Lots of folk do, but just not something I’d recommende 😁

[@albertwilson3396]

I brought a plant that was meant to encourage lady bugs. When I redid my plants that plant I got was covered in aphids lol

[@eliandkate]

That’s probably why it encourages ladybirds, it’s a buffet! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@colleenstinton-czuprynski9894]

Thanks.

[@eliandkate]

No worries!

[@avrilnelson3549]

I’m curious - what are the bungee cords doing on your apple tree planters?

[@eliandkate]

Holding supports for the trees. They are a bit whippy with the wind 😍

[@avrilnelson3549]

@@eliandkate ah cool 👌 😘

[@potager365]

I Like your hair

[@TheWacoKid1963]

Every year, try as I might, I can never get rid of the black aphids on my apple tree, it's the same result, curled leaves & poor apple crop. I even tried washing the tree with a winter tree wash & putting one of those sticky tree bands around the trunk with no success. I'm thinking of pulling it up and feeding to the bark shredder

[@eliandkate]

Yeah I tried the baseline on the trunk thing and it worked great for a couple of hours

[@imtinyem]

I feel like aphids have been a bit more prevelent this year. I have been seeing them everywhere - in my garden, in plants growing in cracks in the ground in town, out on walks. I never noticed them as much before, but I'm mostly noticing the massive farms caused by ants. I'm wondering if this year is especially bad, or if it's always like this and I never noticed before.

[@eliandkate]

One of those things… the weather makes a huge difference 😢

[@barbaraguzmics8293]

Iv had a MASSIVE infestation of white fly this year …but I think Iv got it under control with neem oil

[@eliandkate]

I always have a battle with white fly on my aubergines They just seem to attract it every year

[@jeanhelliwell8160]

My peppers are getting brown aphids this year. Never seen them before

[@eliandkate]

Just keep on top of it I find some plants just seem to attract them others not so much, but if you control it early

[@jeanhelliwell8160]

@@eliandkate yes, I am. I've just never seen these brown ones before

[@jennyjohnson9012]

I don't seem to have any aphids at the moment, but we had blue tits nesting in our bird box so maybe they got them to feed the babies.. Have you noticed the lack of Ladybirds this year? I haven't seen one!! We had lots last year. No cabbage whites either. What's going on?

[@eliandkate]

Yeah I’ve only seen a couple Definitely seeing big changes this year

[@gudi361]

I don't have a problem with this, as I am trying to garden naturally, so there are lots of lsdy birds, bitds, etc...

[@cpoco]

The whole idea of having garden predators posted concerns me... but that could be partly due to Australia's poor history of trying to import predators to deal with pests (ie the Cane Toad).

[@eliandkate]

Yeah you guys have had it rough with foreign animals 😢

[@margaretalice6343]

I don’t clean all the spider webs in my greenhouse at allotment cos spiders eat EVERYTHING I never have any problem with bugs in general at all. Spiders eat everything

[@rebeccaorchard6124]

I’ve got aphids😮

[@eliandkate]

Squirt 'em!!!!

[@chicosgarden]

Great video, thank you. I haven’t noticed a ton of aphids in my garden apart from my roses but then again, I haven’t been looking that closely for them. However, I will keep an eye for them now and look out for ants. Learn something new…

[@eliandkate]

There will be plants I your garden that they seem to prefer. Roses for you, aquilegia and dahlia for me 😍