It's been warm and sunny every day day here, no rain for ages! I was just worried about it drying out. I haven't actually tested the soil but I have acid loving plants that seem to be happy enough.
I'd use the natural ways if they worked but I've never been successful! Aphids absolutely destroyed my lupins last year; I tried sliding them off by hand and the soap mix treatments but nothing worked and they just kept re-appearing from somewhere. Provado worked perfectly but they were shrivelled beyond hope by then so I've kind of given up on the natural way!
hi... trying primrose cottage idea- thanks so much ...keeping it simple & no harm to wild life - there seems to be less aphids today as soaked it twice yesterday - will put bags underneath today to catch the critters . I only use beer traps in veg garden & no chemicals & had outstanding results so would like to keep it this way.
I had aphids on the growing tips of my several of my young Scot's Pines and the only thing that worked was Provado (I tried several 'organic' remedies, including everything mentioned here.) I don't normally use insecticides but as there is zero danger to bees and other pollinators from careful use of a systemic insecticide on conifers (because all conifers are pollinated by wind), I relented in this case and cleared the problem in one application.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
I hope it's OK to resurrect this thread from nearly 7 years ago.
I've just discovered that both of our Picea Pungens are infested with these little green critters. One plant is not looking good at all, the other (Iseli Fastigiate) doesn't look too bad, but I'd rather nip further damage in the bud, if you'll pardon that awful and shameful pun.
I've seen one lady bird so far, and have had lady bird larvae on the worse looking blue Colarado spruce.
I think manually smooshing the things in between fingers is just icky and going to take too long. Yeah, these plants are certainly small enough and reachable, but I'd be prickled crazy by the sharp leaves/needles as well as made queasy. I could just don some marigolds though...
Is Provado now called Provanto, or is that a reformulation that doesn't work as well?
Please don’t spray with an insecticide which will kill the ladybirds and larvae. Let them do their work they will probably be hungry after a long winter without aphids.
You can take the hose to them @GravelEater. A good jet of water should help, and then it should be easier if/when you get more. If you can encourage birds in, many of them will take them for their young. Blue tits, in particular, hoover them up. Sometimes there's a bit of imbalance due to weather, and timing, but it should even out a bit. I don't think Provado is allowed now, or not in the same formula, but I could be wrong. I think Provanto might be an imitation version. The problem with all these things is that they target the beneficial insets too, and that causes further problems.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Please don’t spray with an insecticide which will kill the ladybirds and larvae. Let them do their work they will probably be hungry after a long winter without aphids.
Agreed. I failed to say that I had ladybird larvae in previous years. I haven't seen any just yet, and that one lady bird has gone elsewhere.
You can take the hose to them @GravelEater. A good jet of water should help, and then it should be easier if/when you get more. If you can encourage birds in, many of them will take them for their young. Blue tits, in particular, hoover them up. Sometimes there's a bit of imbalance due to weather, and timing, but it should even out a bit. I don't think Provado is allowed now, or not in the same formula, but I could be wrong. I think Provanto might be an imitation version. The problem with all these things is that they target the beneficial insets too, and that causes further problems.
I think you hit the nail on the head here - the imbalance of weather this year. Although I read that green spruce aphids are something that comes out a bit earlier than their predators, I think our English later Winter is getting rather out of kilter with these mini heat waves.
I used some fairy washing up liquid (a few drips in a thoroughly washed out anti-bac spray bottle) filled with water. This maybe has turned some brown/black, but I can't be sure.
I captured an image with a reverse mounted 28mm - so forgive the lack of depth of field. That orange thing bottom left quarter is the new bud on the end of the branch. The aphids are about 1-1.5 mm long.
I'll head out with a hose once the sun comes down a bit more, see if I can't blast them off into the shadow realm.
However I read that over watering (and maybe over feeding) the plant can encourage these aphids to gorge themselves on the plump and juicy plant.
I read both that Provanto is an imitation, and also that it was a rebrand when Beyer sold that part of the business to another firm. I agree, knocking out the good bugs is a bad idea too.
It looks like they have all been killed now. I did use the hose on a powerful jet and tried to blast them off.
I found this product called "Growing Success: Bug Stop" and thought I'd give it a go. It said it was bee and ladybird friendly, organic and safe for harvesting fruit and veg (after rinsing off). It claims to contain something that induces natural resistance in the plant - not sure how that works in this case.
The spruces have turned a bit green coloured, rather than the more vibrant blue. Hopefully the new foliage will regain it's usual splendour. We are at the end of Winter and so the older foliage always does loose some vibrancy by this point.
Definitely over feeding many plants causes a lot of problems. Shrubs really don't need additional food if they're in decent soil, just watered in dry spells after planting, until established. Always better to feed the soil instead - leaf mould, compost etc. and treat them a bit harder.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
It's been warm and sunny every day day here, no rain for ages! I was just worried about it drying out. I haven't actually tested the soil but I have acid loving plants that seem to be happy enough.
I'd use the natural ways if they worked but I've never been successful! Aphids absolutely destroyed my lupins last year; I tried sliding them off by hand and the soap mix treatments but nothing worked and they just kept re-appearing from somewhere. Provado worked perfectly but they were shrivelled beyond hope by then so I've kind of given up on the natural way!
hi... trying primrose cottage idea- thanks so much ...keeping it simple & no harm to wild life - there seems to be less aphids today as soaked it twice yesterday - will put bags underneath today to catch the critters . I only use beer traps in veg garden & no chemicals & had outstanding results so would like to keep it this way.
I had aphids on the growing tips of my several of my young Scot's Pines and the only thing that worked was Provado (I tried several 'organic' remedies, including everything mentioned here.) I don't normally use insecticides but as there is zero danger to bees and other pollinators from careful use of a systemic insecticide on conifers (because all conifers are pollinated by wind), I relented in this case and cleared the problem in one application.
Many thanks Bob ...much appreciated & great info
I've just discovered that both of our Picea Pungens are infested with these little green critters. One plant is not looking good at all, the other (Iseli Fastigiate) doesn't look too bad, but I'd rather nip further damage in the bud, if you'll pardon that awful and shameful pun.
I've seen one lady bird so far, and have had lady bird larvae on the worse looking blue Colarado spruce.
I think manually smooshing the things in between fingers is just icky and going to take too long. Yeah, these plants are certainly small enough and reachable, but I'd be prickled crazy by the sharp leaves/needles as well as made queasy. I could just don some marigolds though...
Is Provado now called Provanto, or is that a reformulation that doesn't work as well?
Thanks.
(pictures to follow soon, hopefully)
If you can encourage birds in, many of them will take them for their young. Blue tits, in particular, hoover them up.
Sometimes there's a bit of imbalance due to weather, and timing, but it should even out a bit.
I don't think Provado is allowed now, or not in the same formula, but I could be wrong. I think Provanto might be an imitation version. The problem with all these things is that they target the beneficial insets too, and that causes further problems.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think you hit the nail on the head here - the imbalance of weather this year. Although I read that green spruce aphids are something that comes out a bit earlier than their predators, I think our English later Winter is getting rather out of kilter with these mini heat waves.
I used some fairy washing up liquid (a few drips in a thoroughly washed out anti-bac spray bottle) filled with water. This maybe has turned some brown/black, but I can't be sure.
I captured an image with a reverse mounted 28mm - so forgive the lack of depth of field. That orange thing bottom left quarter is the new bud on the end of the branch. The aphids are about 1-1.5 mm long.
I'll head out with a hose once the sun comes down a bit more, see if I can't blast them off into the shadow realm.
However I read that over watering (and maybe over feeding) the plant can encourage these aphids to gorge themselves on the plump and juicy plant.
I read both that Provanto is an imitation, and also that it was a rebrand when Beyer sold that part of the business to another firm. I agree, knocking out the good bugs is a bad idea too.
I did use the hose on a powerful jet and tried to blast them off.
I found this product called "Growing Success: Bug Stop" and thought I'd give it a go.
It said it was bee and ladybird friendly, organic and safe for harvesting fruit and veg (after rinsing off). It claims to contain something that induces natural resistance in the plant - not sure how that works in this case.
The spruces have turned a bit green coloured, rather than the more vibrant blue. Hopefully the new foliage will regain it's usual splendour. We are at the end of Winter and so the older foliage always does loose some vibrancy by this point.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...