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Bug Identification
Matt Reed
Posts: 1
I'm hoping you guys can help my identify these bugs. Hundreds of them have appeared quite suddenly on the underside of the leaves of my three basil plants. The leaves have grey patches and the plants seem less healthy.
0
Posts
Aphids. They suck the sap which is why they are less healthy.
Fill a washing up bowl with tepid water and a good squirt of washing up liquid (Ecover is best but anything will do at a push).
Pick your plants up, putting your fingers across the top of the pot either side of the stem and turn it upside down - immerse the plant in the water and swoosh it gently back and forth - drowning and washing off the aphids while not getting the compost wet - and then stand your pots back upright to drain.
I do this when my potted herbs get aphids.
It works for whitefly too!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.