Aphids!

[Thérèse-Ann Maré]

I do think those are aphids. I have the green variety. Im also surching for advice. I have had relative sucsess with a weak solution of Sunlight Liquid and water. Any other help to fight these little monsters would be appreciated.

[Kobus Jooste]

Thanks David - We are sitting at about R6.7 to the dollar right now and will likely (around here seemingly depending on the mood of the person on the other side of the counter and not always based on the value of the item) pay some kind of import duty, meaning that we are looking at about R630 odd before it hits a local counter.  That is always the problem with a product such as this that is not mainstream.  I'm sure it is a good product, but if they lob some duty on to it, it means that that bottle of aphicide costs as much as both pumps in my mixed system put together.  I was looking at roughly the same price for some commercial potassium bicarb based fungicide while I can buy a pound of pure potassium bicarb for R85.  The way my small systems are managed my aphid problem is not big enough to tempt me to drop more money on the product you mention than what I will be paying my uncle shortly for the opportunity to hunt a blesbuck on his farm!

 

I'm sure the product will go into our SA page wishlist and perhaps people will work together to import some if they want to try it.  Thanks again for the link to Amazon.  There are currently no SA sellers advertising the product on the web though. 

[Nate Storey]

Kobus,

I would look around a bit more. . . . Botanigard is increasingly being used in mainstream horticultural operations- there's a good possibility that someone is importing it.  (Maybe some major greenhouses?)

 

Nate

Kobus Jooste said:

Thanks David - We are sitting at about R6.7 to the dollar right now and will likely (around here seemingly depending on the mood of the person on the other side of the counter and not always based on the value of the item) pay some kind of import duty, meaning that we are looking at about R630 odd before it hits a local counter.  That is always the problem with a product such as this that is not mainstream.  I'm sure it is a good product, but if they lob some duty on to it, it means that that bottle of aphicide costs as much as both pumps in my mixed system put together.  I was looking at roughly the same price for some commercial potassium bicarb based fungicide while I can buy a pound of pure potassium bicarb for R85.  The way my small systems are managed my aphid problem is not big enough to tempt me to drop more money on the product you mention than what I will be paying my uncle shortly for the opportunity to hunt a blesbuck on his farm!

 

I'm sure the product will go into our SA page wishlist and perhaps people will work together to import some if they want to try it.  Thanks again for the link to Amazon.  There are currently no SA sellers advertising the product on the web though. 

[TCLynx]

just be very careful with the soap and oil over aquaponics.  Don't laugh, I know you are only using 2 drops of dish soap in the spray but I've seen people do the mixing over a grow bed or fish tank!!!!!!!  What happens if one of the bottles gets tipped over.

 

Public service announcement.  Just avoid getting any excess oil or soap sprays dripping into your system as both are bad for fish and bacteria and worms.  People with excessive pest problems will often take the plants out of the system and spray them somewhere away from the system and allow the stuff to dry before placing the plant back into the system just to avoid too much contamination of the system.

 

Luckily aphids can often be controlled with minimal measures if you are willing to repeat them often, like simply knocking them down with sprays of plain water or simply adding any one of those ingredients will make the plain water more effective against aphids.

[TCLynx]

Has anyone tried dusting with DE in a greenhouse as a pest control measure?  I expect the stuff would be really quickly effective against aphids since they are so small and soft bodied but I've never tried it since my stuff is outdoors and well I have never bothered to combat my outdoor aphids since most of them are ant farmed anyway.

[Nate Storey]

It works alright, but is better on more mobile pests. . . But it's a good control mechanism.  I think for greenhouse, teaming one short term control with a long term control is best (i.e. Botanigard with Aphidus wasps or green lacewing)- probably DE has a place in the mix- especially if you don't have many flying aphids and most are in the wingless form.  I think using it around the greenhouse or on plug trays or strategically DE can really help minimize the number that are simply walking from plant to plant (i.e. seedlings in plug trays esp.)

 

Nate

[Homefire]

Hi Thérèse-Ann Maré,

While Lace Wings & Lady Bugs can cost $30/k I notice that one may hang up a white sheet, lighted at night and catch your own.

I'm also using the traditional Cayenne, garlic, catnip, etc.  Works but you have to keep at it every few days. 

 

Hf