I have a question about using soapy water on the garden. We know soap kills aphids by blocking the pores they use to breathe but would tipping washing up water on the lawn have the same effect for the beneficial creatures that live in the soil? I don't use chemical soaps as I don't get on with them so all the soap going on the lawn is natural. I just worry that I'm sterilising my soil by reusing soapy water.
@wild edges It's a good question. Did you ever find an answer or a sense of things?
Thats a great set-up @Fire, youve inspire me to do the same. If I dont post again its because Ive fallen out of the bathroom window trying to set up a hose
@Jellyfire did indeed stop posting, and I'm very much hoping he did not fall out of the window trying to set up the hose.
Haha, I survived the attempt @Fire , and did manage to siphon some water from the bath, but I wasn’t sure the effort/reward ratio made it a long term plan! Sorry lot been posting, work and pandemics seem to have taken up too much time lately. Kids are back at school now though so a bit more time again for gardening
I have a question about using soapy water on the garden. We know soap kills aphids by blocking the pores they use to breathe but would tipping washing up water on the lawn have the same effect for the beneficial creatures that live in the soil? I don't use chemical soaps as I don't get on with them so all the soap going on the lawn is natural. I just worry that I'm sterilising my soil by reusing soapy water.
@wild edges It's a good question. Did you ever find an answer or a sense of things?
Not a very satisfactory one but I only did limited research in fairness. It says here (based on the usual 2% concentration insecticidal soap spray)
"Susceptible Insects:
Most research with insecticidal soaps and detergents has involved
control of plant pests. In general, these sprays are effective against
most small, soft-bodied arthropods, such as aphids, young scales,
whiteflies, psyllids, mealybugs, and spider mites. Larger insects, such
as caterpillars, sawflies and beetle larvae, generally are immune to
soap sprays. However, a few large insects, including boxelder bugs and
Japanese beetles, are susceptible.
Insecticidal soaps are considered selective insecticides because of
their minimal adverse effects on other organisms. Lady beetles, green
lacewings, pollinating bees and most other beneficial insects are not
very susceptible to soap sprays. Predatory mites, often important in
control of spider mites, are an exception: a beneficial group of
organisms easily killed by soaps."
There is also the issue that long term soapy water use might alter the soil PH but I would hope we get sufficient rain for that not to be a real problem.
As an aside this link suggests that insecticidal soaps can be bad for some plants like acers which isn't something I was aware of before.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
@wild edges I would think that the soap level in a whole bathful of water would be very low and most soap residue would be washed out. I guess it's worth considering if grey water were going on one main spot for six months of the year.
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Does washing up liquid actually work against aphids?
@wild edges I would think that the soap level in a whole bathful of water would be very low and most soap residue would be washed out. I guess it's worth considering if grey water were going on one main spot for six months of the year.
- - -
Does washing up liquid actually work against aphids?
Yes I think you'd need a whole bottle of bubble bath to even get to a 1% concentration.
For aphid control I think it depends on the soap but I use Ecover Zero to try and keep on top of sedum aphids and it does seem to have a good effect. They're one of the tiniest aphids I've seen and can hide really well among the leaves so other methods don't work at all. The birds seem to have already taken care of my lupin aphids but they're at the opposite end of the scale size wise.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
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@wild edges It's a good question. Did you ever find an answer or a sense of things?
Most research with insecticidal soaps and detergents has involved control of plant pests. In general, these sprays are effective against most small, soft-bodied arthropods, such as aphids, young scales, whiteflies, psyllids, mealybugs, and spider mites. Larger insects, such as caterpillars, sawflies and beetle larvae, generally are immune to soap sprays. However, a few large insects, including boxelder bugs and Japanese beetles, are susceptible.
Insecticidal soaps are considered selective insecticides because of their minimal adverse effects on other organisms. Lady beetles, green lacewings, pollinating bees and most other beneficial insects are not very susceptible to soap sprays. Predatory mites, often important in control of spider mites, are an exception: a beneficial group of organisms easily killed by soaps."
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.