How to deal with aphids

Tim Rumball looks at products to tackle these pests when they get out of control

- Tim Rumball

I WOULDN’T want to deny other wildlife a good meal – a wide range of creatures from insects to garden birds eat aphids – but aphid infestations can sometimes reach plague proportions on plants. And when they do in my garden, they’re toast!

There are many different types of aphid, some plant-specific, others greedy for any succulent green leaf or shoot they can suck sap from. They cause leaf distortion, stunt growth, attract molds, and spread diseases.

Avoid infestation first

But before we reach for the spray gun it’s wise to ask why they proliferate on some plants and not on others, and deal with any problems. Most sprays are contact insecticides, and systemic ones are not as powerful as they used to be. If you don’t tackle the root cause, once the spray wears off more aphids may attack.

Stressed plants are most vulnerable. Dry conditions are a common cause, so in prolonged dry periods water plants to keep them making strong new growth. Healthy plants can more easily ‘grow away’ from aphid damage so don’t neglect an occasional feed, and keep soil in good condition incorporating compost or applying mulches in spring and autumn where appropriate.

Ants ‘farm’ aphids on plants to eat the honeydew they produce, so destroy ant nests in or near flower and veg beds with regular soil cultivation or using products like Ant Stop Bait Station, which holds the active ingredient in a covered container rather than spreading it on the soil.