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Honeysuckle destroyed by blackfly third year running

Mrs_MigginsMrs_Miggins Posts: 60
in Problem solving
I have a lonicera halliana standard shrub in a border that has been there since i moved in 6 years ago. Over the past 4 or so years all of the flower buds have been completely covered by blackfly, getting worse. Ive tried soapy water (including in winter but its so hard to reach everywhere) and buying ladybird larvae - in fact this year i had absolutely tons of them from a previous batch but they were no match for the blackfly. I chopped a load of ends off and though they are growing back the blackfly is still there. Ive other honeysuckles and a rose that seem to be ok - they are down the other end. 

Im prepared to go nuclear and wondering if fully covering it with a plastic cover just after spraying it would work. I dont want to kill anything else on it if i can help it. And its really hard to get to all of the places they might be. And once ive taken the cover off again how do i get rid of the poison without affecting everything else? 

Im a novice gardener and dont want to ruin my garden. But this beautiful shrub is absolutely decimated so clearly extreme action needs to be taken. 
Below is a new healthy shoot, and under that a pic of the whole shrub. I chopped so much off it but it didnt really help. 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I wonder whether it’s struggling with being in a sunny dryish spot … it looks as if it has powdery mildew as well as aphids … honeysuckles are best with their feet in cool damp shade and their heads in the sun. 

    If they’re struggling they’re unable to outgrow the damage the aphids do. 

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





  • Mrs_MigginsMrs_Miggins Posts: 60
    I think it's definitely not getting much water - though the bottom half is in a very shady spot. Its in clay though. And ive given it a big water several times, plus fed it, but its so damaged ive kind of given up. 

    But the aphids were/are rampant. From spring every single flower bud was covered. Under almost every leaf. They were inside every bud. Nothing stands a chance against that. Ive looked and there dont seem to be ants around it. I used to spend hours spraying soapy water into the flowers and under the leaves and it helped a little, temporarily. 
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