I have aphids on my ajuga that I'm trying to overwinter. THey are pretty bad. I'm not sure what to do because the only place I can put the plant to get sun, is also somewhere where my little kids (and cat) can eat/play with it. Is there an organic solution to my aphids or do I need to find an out of reach place and treat with pesticide??
THanks!!
Sarah
Maybe not aphids but some sort of itty-bitty white fly and possibly eggs?? I took it outside and shook it off--see how the buggers enjoy 22 degree weather and an inch of ice!!
Take a mild insecticidal soap and wash off the leaves, make sure to get tops and bottoms, usually works for me.
Or you can use green lacewings to eat the aphids up. you can get them from Beneficial Insectary in CA.
the lacewing larva will crawl into the plants nooks and crannies and find the aphids and eat them up.
beneficial insectary
Thanks for the tips, I don't think that the lacewings would enjoy our 19 degree high for the day, or the few inches of snow... Probably to chilly to ship out. I'll give the soap a try. Thanks!
Thought you brought the plants in to overwinter? or are these outside?
And if it is that cold the aphids should not be reproducing. you sure they are alive? i cant tell you how often i get to a nusery and people are treating for dead insects.
Yes, my plant is inside, it's much too cold out there for it now. I took it out there and gave it a good shake/brushing off, to help scatter whatever was on it into the freezing air and out of my house!
Just squish them with your fingers.
The little bugs fly off before I can squish them. I think I got them all shaken off outside but there are these white scaley things on the leaves that I need to look into 'cause they probably aren't supposed to be there!
that does not sound like aphids... most aphids do not have wings and typically are not white. It sounds like you have whiteflies.
Sounds like whiteflies to me . A mild insecticidal soap would do the trick . Take a damp paper towel and gently wipe off the leaves now that you have shaken the little buggers off . Another suggestion is lady beatles as a beneficial insect , but since they are inside you probably don't want to bring in more bugs . Before you bring them in at the end of the warm season get some lady beatles and let them do the job . On a warm day you can put the plants outside and give a good blast from a water hose , or put in the kitchen sink and spray with sink sprayer . It will knock them off the plant and not hurt it either . But do it early in the morning and that way the leaves have time to dry and not introduce fungus to the plant .
here is some more info on whiteflies
whiteflies