Aphid infested sweet peas

Finnish_Fennel · July 2021

Hello all,

I have grown a row of sweet pea which have been flowering handsomely for about a month. They have been under some stress, as we've had heatwave after heatwave and not much rain to speak off since roughly June.

Last week I encountered some greenfly on some of the plants; they have taken to their home and reproduced with gusto. This is nature lining up the buffet; yesterday I counted plenty of ladybugs having a feast but still, my sweet peas are suffering.

There are some recipes for chili-garlic sprays that I've found, and I'm pondering on trying them. I am wondering if this spray will have an effect on the healthy ladybird population as well.

On to my questions:

1. Can I start concocting a chili-garlic spray and use it lightly to 'flatten the curve' (sorry) of the aphid population somewhat? How often to spray (drought is thought to let up by the end of the week)? Will said spray cause a dent in the ladybird population as well?

2. As the plants are not looking their best, I'd like to give them a little boost by feeding them some very dilute liquid seaweed. Will this help the plants at all, or encourage the aphids even further by having the plant produce sappy growth?

Many thanks, and happy gardening!

Fairygirl · July 2021

Lots and lots of water, lots of food - tomato food to encourage more flowers. You can also add a bit of extra compost round the base. That helps them along a bit too

Spray the aphids off with a jet of water, or wipe with your hand. No need for anything fancy. The balance will get there if you have lots of lady birds [lucky you!] but a spray now and again with water will cause no harm, and just allow the plants to recover from the bit of stress they're having, until the balance arrives.
If you can do it in the evening or earlier in the morning when the sun isn't on them, that's much better too.
Do your watering/feeding at night too, so that they retain the moisture more easily and make use of it instead of it evaporating quickly which happens more quickly if you do it in the morning.

BenCotto · July 2021

I noticed quite an infestation of aphids on my sweet peas yesterday. I rubbed most of them off with my finger and thumb. I followed up later in the day with a blast from the hose to get ones I had missed. Today they’re almost all gone. As Fairygirl says, don’t make life complicated.

Fairygirl · July 2021

I should have said too - the garlic thing is mainly used for deterring slugs/snails [wouldn't work here] but you have to apply it after every spell of rain [would be a never ending job!] but I don't know what chilli would do.

chicky · July 2021

I put up a bird feeder next to my sweet peas. When the blue tits have finished on the feeder they do a very good job of hoovering up any aphids.

Finnish_Fennel · July 2021

Thank you guys for your info! I'll try blasting the cretins off with the hose. I made a sort of 'cathedral' for the peas to climb up too, and am always noticing specks of bird poo on the leaves XD

One of the chili/garlic spray recipes I've found is from here. Should the aphids persist, I might have a go just to see what the effects are.

mikeymustard · July 2021

Be interesting to see how it works @Finnish_Fennel. Be careful of eyes and "soft bits" - you're basically making Mace!
Personally, I prefer to mix my chilli garlic with ginger and make curries with it

nick615 · July 2021

If Finland supports rhubarb growing, boil a few leaves, strain off the liquid, allow to cool and place in a redundant household spray bottle. Apply to aphids. Some are dubious about using it on food crops like peas, but it's up to you. I've always used it on mine.

cornelly · July 2021

I wash off aphids with a drop of washing up liquid in water sprayed on, has cleared our black fly completely from the broad and runner beans and cleared white fly from roses.

Aphid infested sweet peas

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