Monday, August 23, 2010

Homemade aphid killer

How do you make homemade algaecide for my pond?
I live on a channel on a lake and I have aphids on my plants.  Is there a book that would show homemade remedies I could use?


Answer:


Here's a homemade aphid killer:
The following technique can be used to treat water lilies for aphid infestation without harm to your fish. Aphids and many other garden pests can be easily controlled with an inexpensive, homemade insecticide--according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This recipe was developed after entomologists at the Agriculture Research Center in Phoenix, Arizona, discovered that a spray of soybean oil protected cotton from aphids and whiteflies. Home gardeners should mix one tablespoon of dishwashing detergent with one cup of cooking oil. When pests strike, mix one to two and one half teaspoons of the detergent oil mix with one cup of water. The detergent causes the oil to emulsify in the water. It can be sprayed on the water lilies every ten days. Besides aphids, the mixture works against whiteflies and spider mites. It has been successfully tested on eggplants, carrots, lettuce, celery, watermelon, peppers and cucumbers. It tends to burn the leaves of squash, cauliflower and red cabbage.


As far as an algaecide goes, getting rid of algae might not be possible. We can control it in an ornamental pond, but a channel/lake, there are so many elements out of your control. Your channel just has too much run off to properly balance the water so algae will not appear. If you try floating plant material, it will soon become an invasive, noxious weed.

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