aphids on pepper plants-help

Hi,

Ok, pepper plants not planted but outside. They have aphids. I picked them off, but I really get creeped out by little bugs....I am itchy all over. How can I organically get rid of these things? I cannot spray with a hose they are too little (the plants). They might be on my tomatoes too I am going out to check.

I want them gone

thanks, Kari

I just keep brushing them off. I actually flick them. And, I wash my hands afterwards.

However, if an outbreak develops on a larger scale, I have seen several organic insecticidal soaps on the market I won't hesitate to use.

If you can find some nasturtium plants, the aphids really love those. Perhaps if you planted nasturtium near the peppers, the aphids will go there. This is what we would call a trap plant.

I take the plant outside and spray off with the hose. Then I spray with soapy water.

I've used Neem Oil on them, but I think soapy water (original Ivory) has actually been the most successful.

Buy some lady bugs at the nursery or local feed store. Approx. $8.95 for 1500. We released 1 package (1500) and I keep finding them in my garden......doing their job. And the rose that had the aphids, doesn't have aphids now.

Hi,

will Dawn dish soap work? What is NEEM oil and where can I get it? And I don't think they have lady bugs for sale yet. I will buy some when they do go on sale.

thanks, Kari

NEEM I would only use as a last resort. Neem oil is manufactured by crushing and extracting oil from the fruit and seeds of the Neem tree. It will kill bees and other benifical insects.
I was out squishing aphids on my peppers just this morning. When they get to be too much I spray then with a home make potion. In a blender or food processer I wirh together 3 hot chilies, 2 cloves garlic, one small onion and a cup or 2 of water. put the mix in a jar for 2days in the frig. Strain (be careful of the chilies they bite) take the liquid pour it into a spray bottle add water 2 drops hot chillie oil and 2 drops liquid dish soap (not the greese cutting kind). Mix and spray upper and lower sides of leaves.

tegaan wrote:Hi,

will Dawn dish soap work? What is NEEM oil and where can I get it? And I don't think they have lady bugs for sale yet. I will buy some when they do go on sale.

thanks, Kari

I think Dawn is more of a detergent than a soap. It's the "grease-cutting" kind Shannon mentioned. Someone correct me if I'm mistaken.

shannon1 wrote:NEEM I would only use as a last resort. Neem oil is manufactured by crushing and extracting oil from the fruit and seeds of the Neem tree. It will kill bees and other benifical insects.
I was out squishing aphids on my peppers just this morning. When they get to be too much I spray then with a home make potion. In a blender or food processer I wirh together 3 hot chilies, 2 cloves garlic, one small onion and a cup or 2 of water. put the mix in a jar for 2days in the frig. Strain (be careful of the chilies they bite) take the liquid pour it into a spray bottle add water 2 drops hot chillie oil and 2 drops liquid dish soap (not the greese cutting kind). Mix and spray upper and lower sides of leaves.

Just be careful, good insects don't like garlic!

elliephant wrote:I've used Neem Oil on them, but I think soapy water (original Ivory) has actually been the most successful.

I'm having my own private battle with aphids as well. I am very 'type A' so I would LOVE more details on your Ivory concoction. Original Ivory - dish soap? Bath soap? How much? I swear I can't 'wing it' - it must be in my genes or something . . . *ha* Thanks much!

Would baby shampoo work. It is very mild. I know it is recommended for cleaning oriental carpets because of the mildness.


Kay

shannon1 wrote:NEEM I would only use as a last resort. Neem oil is manufactured by crushing and extracting oil from the fruit and seeds of the Neem tree. It will kill bees and other benifical insects.
I was out squishing aphids on my peppers just this morning. When they get to be too much I spray then with a home make potion. In a blender or food processer I wirh together 3 hot chilies, 2 cloves garlic, one small onion and a cup or 2 of water. put the mix in a jar for 2days in the frig. Strain (be careful of the chilies they bite) take the liquid pour it into a spray bottle add water 2 drops hot chillie oil and 2 drops liquid dish soap (not the greese cutting kind). Mix and spray upper and lower sides of leaves.

Add in some vegetable oil and a couple of drops of glue and you about nailed my recipe for "Rabit Pruf"...

TheVickster wrote:

elliephant wrote:I've used Neem Oil on them, but I think soapy water (original Ivory) has actually been the most successful.

I'm having my own private battle with aphids as well. I am very 'type A' so I would LOVE more details on your Ivory concoction. Original Ivory - dish soap? Bath soap? How much? I swear I can't 'wing it' - it must be in my genes or something . . . *ha* Thanks much!

LOL, well, I just "wing it" so I'm afraid I can't help too much. I just put a couple of drops of plain old Ivory dish soap in a spray bottle. If I'm using a bigger pump spray (32-50 oz) I might put up to a teaspoon...not that I measure

I also use a few drops of Ivory dish soap. It is very gentle on the plants, which detergents aren't. It helps the concoction stick to the plants / insects. You really don't need a lot - otherwise you just get a lot of suds.

To qualify I am a first time gardener. However, my garden was overwhelmed with aphids a little over 3 weeks ago. I purchased some ladybugs from a local nursery and released them in the garden. the next morning there were no more aphids. now there are only a few ladybugs crawling around but I have not seen an aphid since.

I soaked scraped off flakes of Ivory Soap in a jar of warm water. If you have an old blender you could try to speed up the dissolving. Then I more water when I put it in my spray bottle. I use a large pump spray bottle for my soap spray that I bought from the local dollar store.

Watch this video from the Bayou Gardener on making a soap-jalapeno spray. This guy is very entertaining!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atlZegRslNg

I haven't used the jalapenos, but might if these flea beetles get worse on my eggplants.

Here's another good link on homemade organic mixes:

http://www.ghorganics.com/page14.html

Castile soap (it's vegetable based) supposed to be very good for insect sprays. I've been reading that the liquid kind with peppermint is good for garden and body insect repellent. Would certainly smell nice! Target supposedly carries Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap - Peppermint, I'm going to see if I can find some.

pattipan

Thanks Pattipan for the Bayou gardener video. I loved him. I'm going to have look up his blog. "You might want to wash your hands before touching certain body parts" Ha! I guess so.

I have store bought insecticidal soap and I think it is too hard on the plants. I'm going to try the ivory soap/pepper concoction. Why do you think one needs to use an old blender for this stuff? Don't you think it would wash out pretty easily, after all it is soap and vegetables?


Heidi

HPartin wrote:Thanks Pattipan for the Bayou gardener video. I loved him. I'm going to have look up his blog. "You might want to wash your hands before touching certain body parts" Ha! I guess so.

I have store bought insecticidal soap and I think it is too hard on the plants. I'm going to try the ivory soap/pepper concoction. Why do you think one needs to use an old blender for this stuff? Don't you think it would wash out pretty easily, after all it is soap and vegetables?

Heidi

There's nothing toxic about Ivory Soap or jalapenos, but I get the feeling that Bayou Gardener likes to make other concoctions too!! My guess it that his wife put her foot down when the blender came up missing from the kitchen!

pattipan

I just use dishsoap if I'm patient, NEEM if I'm not feeling so patient.....

Both seem to work equally well for the aphids (on veggies and flowers), but I've been gravitating to the NEEM lately, just because of the other benefits.

I've used dishsoap on my non-edibles for years though & had good results.

The BajouGardener makes a huge amount at one time. If one was making a gallon of soap spray how much ivory soap would she add to the water? a tablespoon? teaspoon? Would one Jalapeno be enough or should I put in 2. Does it make a difference?

I'm trying to make something that won't kill my green peppers....again

Heidi

Well, I think I have enough to go on to experiment with the Ivory. And I love the video with the bayou gardner - might have to throw a few peppers in for good measure. *ha* Thanks to everyone for the input!

I threw 4 hot peppers and several garlic cloves in the blender with water this morning. Last night I shredded an entire bar of Ivory with the cheese grater, and then soaked it in hot water overnight. This morning it was a goo that liquified with water.

The pepper/garlic mixture cleared the sinuses and stunk up the kitchen to the point where my wife lit several candles after coming downstairs. Not sure if used too much soap but mixed it all together and sprayed outside. My sunflower leaves look horrible and splotchy from all the aphids and other plants have leaf damage as well.

As for the blender, it cleaned out very easy. My wife didn't even question the concoction as the soap helped neutralize the earlier pepper/garlic mixture. The soap dissolves in water. The surplus concoction went into a gallon OJ container for future use.

Will post updates