I have been getting many calls and emails about treating for aphids on water lilies, so this bears repeating:
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.
3 comments:
any ideas about how to do this when the water lilies are out of reach? Will a strong spray from the hose work well enough to end the problem, or will we have to wade in amongst the leeches (possibly) to spray the lilies? so far we have been letting the aphids 'run their course' but the infestation is growing rapidly...
You could try the strong spray. If you have leeches, put on a pair of hip boots and spray while closer. You may have to spray more than once, so plan accordingly.
Spray with a hose twice a day to knock off the aphids. Do it for a week and they will significantly be reduced in numbers. Small fish will eat what has been washed off the leaves; also you can hold your leaves underwater until the aphids let go. I'm doing all of this now to my own pond.
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