What is aphid and how do you recognize aphids?
An aphid is an insect that feeds on leaves. Nutrients and juices the aphid sucks out of the plant. With every bite, the aphid pushes some saliva into the plant. The aphid infects the plant with viruses, which in turn causes the plant to go under.
In most cases aphids are green, but you should not be surprised if the aphid turns out to be white, black, yellow, red or purple.
You usually find aphids on the top of a young petiole. A flower bud is also a fine place for an aphid.
Aphid control
1. Cold water
Perhaps the most accessible way: water. Put the plants outside on a piece of terrace. Then go over the leaf with the hard jet of a water hose. Spray the leaf from top to bottom, so that the stubborn aphid can’t crawl up again.
2. Dishwashing liquid and water
Shouldn’t the water hose have helped? Then you can get very far with a mix of water and detergent. Pour the mix into a plant sprayer and mist the leaves completely. This solution usually works for a few days. You can repeat the method until the lice have left.
3. Green soap, spirits and water
Also a mixture of 20 ml green soap, 20 ml spirits and 1 liter water are a good mix against aphids. Pour the mixture into a plant syringe and fog!
4. Tobacco and water
If you have a strong nose, the following control method may also be an option. Boil a handful of tobacco, and soak it in a plant spray with water. Then spray the mixture over the leaves of the plants. The plant will start to stink, but the aphid has left!
5. Onions and water
Soak a peeled onion in water for one day. Pour this water into a plant sprayer and then spray it over the plants. Tip! This method is not only suitable for aphids, but for almost all insects stationed near plants.
