Say goodbye to aphids—9 eco-friendly ways to banish the unwanted pest from your garden
Controlling aphids is a summertime project that often causes frustration for home gardeners. With these tips, you can keep aphids away as naturally as possible.
1. Aphid control starts with prevention!
Always start your aphid control with preventive measures. Keep your garden plants as healthy as possible so they can better handle pests like aphids. If a plant is weak, it’s like a flashing sign for pests: Come and feast!
Aphids often attack rose buds, for instance. Roses need fertilizer, so provide one with phosphorus and potassium to strengthen them against pests.
2. Maintain biodiversity
Build a insect hotel [in Finnish], which encourages beneficial insects to settle in your yard. Biodiversity supports the overall health of your garden, because pests also encounter their natural predators. Remember, it’s not just ladybugs that eat aphids—hoverfly larvae, earwigs, lacewing larvae, mirid bugs, and parasitoid wasps do, too. Ladybugs are easy to spot, so move them onto any plants where you see aphids. A single ladybug can eat thousands of aphids in its lifetime.
3. Springtime aphid control destroys their eggs
If your fruit trees and berry bushes are hit by aphids every year, spray them with an oil-based product in early spring before the buds open. The temperature should be at least 7 degrees Celsius (45 degrees Fahrenheit) before you spray. The oil forms a film on the branches, destroying any aphid eggs underneath.
4. Inspect your garden regularly
Keep an eye on your plants and tackle aphids early. Look for them on new shoots and on the undersides of leaves. If you see ants marching on a plant, that’s a clue aphids may be nearby, providing sweet secretions for the ants.
5. Wipe and spray
One non-toxic way to deal with aphids is by physically removing them. If you notice aphids on shoot tips, wipe them off or crush them by hand. Wear rubber gloves if you prefer. Check again after a few days and repeat as needed, since new aphids hatch from eggs that may have already been laid.
Another mechanical method is to spray plants with water. A strong stream rinses away aphids, but repeat every few days because they can return quickly, and new ones may hatch on the leaves.
6. Birds can control aphids effectively
Invite aphids’ natural predators—small birds—into your garden. A tiny blue tit can eat up to a hundred aphids a day, making a big difference. Set up nesting boxes to give birds a reason to stick around and handle some of the pest control for you.
7. A gentler method than chemicals
Before turning to chemical solutions, try a plant-based spray. Gather about 2.5 liters (0.66 gallons) of rhubarb leaves, chop them, and boil them in roughly 5 liters (1.3 gallons) of water. Let it cool, strain, and spray the solution onto your plants. Watch for newly hatched aphids and reapply after a few days if needed.
8. Choose a natural control product whenever possible
Instead of pine soap solution, use a pyrethrin-based product approved for organic gardening. Using pine soap for pest control is prohibited.
Always follow the package instructions carefully. Avoid spraying in intense sunlight and try not to spray during the day, when pollinators are most active.
Keep in mind that insecticides can also harm beneficial insects.
9. Plant a protective floral display
Set up a ring of marigolds around your favorite crops. They repel many destructive insects—including aphids—and bring more vibrant blooms to your garden!
