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Hand Picking
Light infestations of aphids are easy to control by hand picking. Crush groups of aphids between thumb and forefinger, squeezing them as they feed on leaves and stems. Another way is to clip or pinch off aphid infested plant tips and discard them in the trash. Done early in the season, this will not harm the plant and may, in fact, encourage it to branch and become bushier. Do not do this if there are flower buds forming at these tips.
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Water Spray
Once knocked off a plant with a firm spray of water aphids do not easily walk back up on to the plant. There are hose wands available to attach to your hose that produce a stiff spray sufficient to control aphids. They make a forceful spray that can be easily directed upward to hit the undersides of leaves and hard to reach stems. Simply hold smaller houseplant upside down under the faucet in the kitchen sink. Go to Yardener’s Tool Shed to learn more about these variable spray nozzles. Click Here
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Control With Sticky Traps
Yellow sticky traps will catch plenty of aphids, if you don't mind them hanging in and among your landscape plants. Yellow sticky traps are small plastic strips coated with a sticky material. Safe and non-toxic, they last all season, even through water exposure. However, you should use sticky traps for only 3 to 4 weeks; any longer and they'll trap beneficial insects as well.They are sold in garden centers and plant shops to control various insect pests. When inserted in the soil or hung on a plant that is continually troubled by aphid attack, they attract the little pests and kill them. Place the traps next to (not above) susceptible plants. Go to Yardener’s Tool shed to get more information about yellow sticky traps.Click Here
Make Your Own Sticky Traps - Obtain some panels of a material such as Masoniteä (10 inch by 10 inch squares) and paint them bright yellow (school-bus-yellow, or Rust-Oleum No. 659 or Sunset Yellow No. 7745), then coat the painted panels with a weatherproof adhesive pest product such as Tack Trap, Tanglefoot, motor oil, or petroleum jelly. Then place the traps next to (not above) susceptible plants.
We offer a selection of aphid sticky traps in Yardener's Tool Shed; click here
