Anyone else noticing rising aphid numbers this year. They are on just about everything. Also a lack of ladybirds. Have not seen a single one in my garden so far. Any suggestions with treatments would be a big help. Wildlife friendly only thanks
The weather has been very kind to aphids this year as there's been very little rain to knock them off the plants and reduce their numbers. Give any affected plants an agressive hosing down and that will help. Hopefully things will balance out and the abundance of aphids this year will boost the number of successful predators.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Yes, aphids on far too many plants, and, as you say, very few ladybirds so far this year. However, with greater numbers of aphids, comes an increasing number of ants. Particularly on my broad beans and redcurrants. Aaarrgghhh!!!
I've been pretty aphid-free this Summer (touch wood) have a small amount of black-fly on a Nasturtium, planted especially to attract them away from my Broad Beans. The Hover-flies are now increasing in numbers, which is good. I'm usually fighting an aphid battle most summers. Loads of slugs and snails, so that battle continues...
This year has been horrendous for aphids. In desperation I bought some ladybirds/ladybird larvae last month although they don't seem to have made much of a dent. I was pruning my Victoria plum yesterday which is INFESTED with aphids and I found a few larvae, some pupae, a few newly emerged ladybirds and a batch of eggs. It's getting there, it just would have been helpful if we were at this stage 6 weeks ago.
Boil rhubarb leaves and use the liquid when cool to spray on them using a household spraygun. Best avoided on food items that you intend eating 'raw' because the leaves are poisonous but OK for broad beans etc. where you'd discard the pods when cropping.
New technique.... Couple of wraps of cello tape around two of your fingers the sticky side up. Pat the aphids lightly. I cleared two of my Dalia plants of them yesterday 🙂
I never seem to get many aphids in my garden, I don't know why. They have plenty of plants to choose from. I had a look for them, but all I found was a single poppy flower with lots of blackfly on the stem. I would actually like to have more of them to attract ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings etc.
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Aaarrgghhh!!!
A few black aphids are on the Cosmos currently.
I ♥ my garden.
Started using it yesterday so we’ll see.