Organic Insecticides | Organic Pesticides | EcoSMART Bug Spray

Kill Aphids: Win the War and Fight Back

Your daily double question is worth $4401.

These insects eat your vegetables and flowers, give them diseases, and spread like a fire through your garden.





If you said “what is aphids,” you are right.

And if you didn’t know that, you can learn what they look like in another EcoSMART blog article. There are a lot of different types of aphids, 4401, to be precise (hence the wager above).

So once you’ve identified that you have the pests, how do you get rid of them?

• How to find them
• Home remedies
• Natural remedies
• Chemical cures

How to find them

Check the underside of leaves on new plants especially. Aphids like to hide under leaves of plants. Aphids eat by sucking on leaves, causing the leaves to curl around, shielding them from view and sometimes treatments.

Many times, they will be brought into a garden on transplants or from store-bought plants.

Home remedies

• Dish soap and water solution. The soap will usually cause dehydration. Don’t spray it on particularly hot days, the heated soap may damage the plants.

• Keep your fertilizer to a minimum. Aphids will gather when there is a high amount.
• Hose ‘em. A strong spray will knock them off a plant, and most won’t be able to return to it.

Chemical cures

Sprays such as neem oil, acephate (non-food only), or supreme parafinic-type oil will kill off the bugs. Neem oil and parafinic-type oil will only kill the aphids present. Acephate will kill the eggs in the area, but over-use will also kill many of the bugs that prey on aphids.

Insect growth regulators, or IGRs, like Neemix and Azatin, can inhibit molting and keep the aphids from reaching sexual maturity.

Professionals can inject insecticide into the soil if they are covering large areas or trees. These show little damage to the surrounding organisms; but because they have to be absorbed by the tree, it may take several months to be effective.

Natural remedies

What better way to catch a bug than with a bug? Lady beetles, lacewing, and syrphid flies are natural hunters of aphids that can be attracted by plants like mint, dandelions, and clovers. Lady beetles can also be bought.

Growing certain plants will not keep them away, but it will at least keep them occupied. Plants like mums, zinnias, and dahlias will attract the aphids to them and away from your other plants.

Cut the plant. If there’s a section of a plant that is covered in aphids, cut it off and dispose of it. It won’t stop them, but it will slow them down.

For a chemical-free spray treatment, try EcoSMART Garden Insect Killer. It’s safe for the environment and for areas where pets and children may frequent. The all-natural spray can also be used around home-grown food.