How To Get Rid Of Aphids?

Aphids can do severe damage to the plants, and having them in your garden, on your crops or your indoor plants means danger. So, it’s essential to get rid of aphids.

So how to get rid of aphids? Here are our top recommended way to get rid of aphids:

Insecticide
Soap Water
Diatomaceous Earth
Water Jet
Neem Oil Spray
Companion Plants
Cut Of Leaves
Insecticidal Soap
Essential Oil
Nematodes
Predators
Crop Rotation
Floating Row Cover
Control Ants
Isopropyl Alcohol
Mow The Plants Or Crops
Use White Vinegar
Call Pest Control

Continue reading to know about these remedies in details.

What Are Aphids?

Aphid belongs to the family of Aphidoidea, and there are 5000 species of them. The host plants vary from species to species. Some species of aphids only consume certain plants, whereas other species consume almost all kind of plants. They are the biggest nuisance in agriculture because they do severe to plants. They can also do severe damage to your garden if you don’t remove them on time.

Apids can also infest indoor plants, so it’s essential to get rid of aphids from indoor plants as they can kill the plants. If you cannot detect the infestation in the early stages, then it can become problematic for the plant or the crop. They consume the sap and makes them dry.

The sap is a fluid transporter in plants. It contains very vital nutrients without it any tree or plant will die, but unfortunately, aphids attack these sap and destroy the plant inside out. They also act as a vector for allowing plants viruses to grow inside the plant, eventually killing it. They are difficult to spot and damages plants extensively.

This gives a clear idea of how dangerous an aphid can be and why it is so essential to get rid of them.

Origin Of Aphid

Aphid belongs to the family of Aphidoidea, they give birth to females, and those females are pregnant from the moment they are born without the help of a male. After these females grow up, they breed a lot and increases their number very rapidly.

Aphids have a common ancestor with adelgids and phylloxerans which they shared 280 million years ago. Aphids are soft-bodied insects, and they don’t correctly fossilize, so they are challenging to find.

Fossils are essential for proper research. Regardless of these difficulties, there has been enough research about aphids which tells us that they have lived through Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary periods. They are on earth before us and evolving since then.

Here Are Our Recommended Ways To Get Rid Of Aphids.

It includes both chemical and natural ways. These are highly effective remedies.

1. Insecticide

Aphids are resistant to many insecticides, but insecticides still work on them. You can buy insecticide that removes aphids in small quantity and then test out the insecticide whether it is working or not. If it works, then buy more of them and use it accordingly. To get rid of aphids, you can use insecticide as it is a widely used component.

2. Soap Water

A mixture of soap and water is very useful in getting rid of aphids. It’s a simple solution and can be made by anyone. It’s cheap and easy to make. Here is how to make the solution:

Mix 50 ml of dishwashing liquid in 500 ml of water.
Mix it well until you can see foam forming.
After that spray, it directly over the aphids to get rid of them.

3. Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is very effective against aphids. Diatomaceous earth contains the fossils of diatoms, and this fossil has a sharp spike-like structure on them. These spikes are not harmful to human, but they are detrimental to soft-bodied pests. The spike from the diatoms will puncture aphids bodies once the aphids come in contact with these diatoms.

You can buy these diatoms online. They come in different kind of packages. If you have a big garden, then you’ll need a lot of diatomaceous earth. Choose the package amount according to your need. Diatomaceous earth looks like white talcum powder. Just put the powder directly over aphids to get rid of them.

Wear gloves while using diatomaceous earth if you are doing it with your hand. Diatomaceous earth also works as prevention. If there are only a few aphids in your garden and the infestation has not started yet, then you can use diatomaceous earth to stop the infestation from happening. It will take 7-15 days for it to show effects.

4. Water Jet

Water jet also works well in getting rid of aphids. This doesn’t involve any kind of chemicals. It’s pure pressurized water that makes aphids fall from the plants. It won’t necessarily kill the aphids, but it will definitely get rid of them. Some of them can also die due to the pressure from the water jet. Once they fall from the plants, you can use diatomaceous earth, insecticides or simply crush them to get rid of them.

5. Neem Oil Spray

Neem oil is an excellent repellant. It works against 200 different kinds of pests, and aphid is one of them. It is a natural remedy and doesn’t have any side effect. You can buy neem oil spray online, or you can make your own.

All you have to do is buy a neem oil (sold separately) or make your neem oil by crushing few leaves of neem and then mix it with water.
Then add 10 ml of neem oil in 500 ml of water and spray it directly over your plants.

Since aphids can infest almost all kind of plants, it’s better to spray these neem oils over all of your plants to stop the infestation from occurring.

6. Companion Plants

Dahlia

Companion plantation also works well in getting rid of aphids. It’s a natural remedy which doesn’t have any side effects. All you need to do is plant plants like Dahlia, Verbena, Mum, Hollyhock, Garlic, Onion beside the plants that are targeted by aphids or beside plants that are infested. The plants will repel aphids from your garden and keep your other plants safe.

7. Cut Of Leaves

If the infestation is high, then you can cut the leaves in those infested plants to get rid of them. If you are doing it alone, then you need to search every plant that is beside the infested plants. It’s essential to look for an initial sign of infestation because that can save your plants lives.

Your plants will incur severe damage if you detect the infestation at later stages. So, make sure to look for an initial sign of infestation carefully. You can ask a few people to help you if you have a big garden.

Once you cut the leaves or parts of the plants make sure to put that piece inside a polythene bag and get rid of them afterwards by burning or throwing it away in a pond or some water bodies. Fishes inside a pond or any water body will start eating them and get rid of them.

8. Insecticidal Soap

Insecticidal soap is also very effective against various kind of pests, and aphid is one of them. You can buy this insecticidal soap from online stores, local nurseries or outdoor supply stores.

Insecticidal soap has various pests removal chemicals in it, which kills multiple kinds of pests; however, this spray can be harmful to some plants, so make sure to check the label before using it. Wear gloves while spraying it as you don’t these chemicals to get inside your body.

9. Essential Oil

Peppermint, thyme, rosemary are some of the effective essential oil that will repel aphids.

Here is how to make the solution:

Buy any one of these essential oils
Add 5-6 drops of essential oil in 250 ml of water
Put it in a sprayer and spray it directly over the aphid infested plants.
Keep on doing it as often as needed.

The strong smell from these essential oils repels aphids.

10. Nematodes

Nematodes are highly effective against soil aphids. These are tiny roundworms that are used for pest control. These are safe to use around humans, as there are no side-effects.

Once you put the nematodes in the soil and once it gets inside the aphids, it will release bacteria within the aphid body and once these bacteria which is toxic for the aphids starts spreading the aphids won’t be able to survive. It will die within a few days. You can buy nematodes online.

11. Predators

Some insects and birds can help you to get rid of aphids. These insects are called beneficial insects. In controlled numbers, they are great for your plants and your garden. They help in getting rid of unwanted pests from your garden and keeps your garden or farm healthy. One of these is a ladybug.

You can add hedgerow plants to attract beneficial insects, including ladybug.

A ladybug is a small beetle with a red, orange or black coloured body with black or orange dots over it. Ladybug and ladybug larva eats aphids, so keeping them in your garden on near your plants is hugely beneficial.

Birds like Sparrows, American warblers, May warbler eats aphids. They are also profoundly beneficial for your garden. If you see them in your garden, then let them stay as they will eat large numbers of aphids.

12. Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is also effective against aphids. Crop rotation is the process of rotating different crops in a sequenced fashion in a specific area of your garden or farm. Crop rotation helps in increasing the fertility of the soil and also helps in getting rid of aphid and other pests. It disconnects certain plants from an ongoing infestation and breaks the cycle. It is a common practice done by farmers.

13. Floating Row Cover

Floating row cover is also effective against various kinds of pests. Floating row cover is made of extremely lightweight row cover fabric or high-density polyethylene. It covers plants perfectly and stops it from getting damaged externally. If aphids are attacking your plants from outside, then it can protect, but if any aphids attack your plant from the soil, then it won’t be able to protect.

To stop that from occurring you can put nematodes in the soil and then cover your plants with floating row cover. This two are the perfect combination for preventing aphids from getting on your plants.

14. Control Ants

Ants are attracted towards sweet items, and they feed on aphid honeydew. These ants fight other beneficial insects who eat aphids. These ants can kill beneficial insects, which is something that you don’t want to happen. So, make sure to get rid of ants if you want to control aphids. This is a very crucial thing, so don’t miss this step.

15. Isopropyl Alcohol

You can also you isopropyl alcohol to get rid of aphids. This is extremely effective. This is how to make the solution.

Add 20 ml of isopropyl alcohol in 500 ml of water
Mix it well
Put it in a sprayer and spray it directly over the aphid infested plants

Before spraying check whether this solution is causing any side effects on plants or not. Just sprinkle the mixture in a plant, and if it doesn’t show any side effect, then you can spray it on every plant.

16. Mow The Plants Or Crops

If you are not able to get rid of aphids regardless of your efforts, then it’s better to mow the infested crops. Doing so will get rid of the aphids and will also stop aphids from infesting other plants. This can save a lot of money if done in proper time. This is the last resort if nothing seems to be working.

17. Use White Vinegar

White vinegar is very effective against aphids, and it’s readily available. It won’t harm your plants so you can use it without worries. Here is how to make the solution:

Add 100 ml of white vinegar in 500 ml of water
Mix it well
Put it in a sprayer and spray it.

The vinegar will kill the aphids upon contact. The effects are immediate. If you have a big garden, then you need to locate the infested plants and spray this solution on each plant individually to see maximum effects.

18. Call Pest Control

If you don’t want to get rid of aphids by yourself, then you can contact a pest control company. The control company may use chemical methods to treat the infestation. They will charge money depending upon the amount of chemical they will need and the amount of work they have to do.

If you have a big garden or a farm, then it can be significant. If you do it yourself, then it can be a lot cheaper, but they have the expertise which is essential in getting rid of aphids. Along with that, they can also identify what is damaging your plants. If there are aphids or any other pests.

Often there are more than one pests that damage plants which can be challenging for an untrained eye to identify. If you call a good pest control company, then you can trust them in getting rid of aphids and other harmful pests.

How To Identify Aphid Infestation?

If you see these signs, then you can be sure that there are aphids.

There will be yellow leaves, curled leaves, stunted leaves. The leaves can also be covered with sticky substances; the plants or fruits can have sooty mold that will make the plant and leaves look black. These are the most common signs. Aphids absorb the nutrients from these plants, and so these plants have these kinds of problems. If you do not treat this problem on time, then your plants can die.

Aphids attack in large groups. They are small, yet very destructive. You’ll see many aphids on a single plant. It looks scary when they severely infest a plant. Usually, aphids don’t have wings, but some aphids can grow wings so that they can travel from one plant to another so that they don’t run out of food.