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Basil Bugs

johnjosephmcbridejohnjosephmcbride Posts: 19
in Problem solving
Hi folks, my basil in my kitchen window has quite a lot of tiny white bugs accumulating on the leaves. What can I do to get rid of them? Or what's causing them?
Thanks for the help in advance.
J.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Fill a washing up bowl with just tepid water and add a small squirt of washing up liquid. Hold the pot upside down with your fingers splayed over the compost around and between the stems, and slosh the topgrowth (not the pot) gently around in the water.

    It’ll wash the little aphids off.

    You may have to  repeat it occasionally. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • johnjosephmcbridejohnjosephmcbride Posts: 19
    Thanks, Pansyface. As I grew it from seed, I presume they came in through the window. Will they harm the basil? Or do I just wash carefully before using?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Just rinse them off , the way Dove describes. i just use water to wash mine. They dont do any real harm - to you or the basil  ;)
    They're often already present in the compost, so hard to avoid. They like the conditions basil grows well. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    If the seeds failed to germinate ? Basil faulty ☺
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I do as Dove says, and an occasional washing up liquid spray, fortunately white flies are very slow moving you can tap the with your finger and they die,  keep checking under leaves. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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