The most effective aphid control methods without chemicals

Diseases and pests

Aphids are a garden pest. These small, soft-bodied insects with proboscis-shaped mouthparts form large colonies that can destroy plants from up to 600 square meters of garden plot in 2-3 weeks. They reproduce very quickly—a female can produce up to 10,000 individuals in a month. Chemical pesticides are not suitable for everyone. They are highly allergenic, and spraying them on fruits and vegetables can cause poisoning in children. Therefore, it's best to opt for folk remedies when dealing with pests.

Damage caused by aphids and signs of infestation

The insect pierces the surface of leaves or buds with its thin proboscis and sucks out the cell sap. Nutrients stop reaching the plant parts, development stops, and the seedlings die. The secretions left by the insects, honeydew, cover the leaf, and photosynthesis slows.

Signs of infection:

the soil under the plant seems to be covered with a white coating - these are scales, shells, shed by insects during growth;
the underside of the leaves is sticky and unpleasant to the touch;
the upper shoots and offshoots turn yellow;
the buds are small, twisted, dried out;
the number of ant trails increased.

Prevention of infection

The risk of aphids can be reduced by following these recommendations:

Avoid planting seedlings or sowing seeds too densely. Dense growth creates favorable conditions for pests to thrive and unfavorable conditions for the plant itself. Timely pruning of branches and removal of dead leaves will keep the plant healthy.
It is worth considering crop rotation - with proper crop rotation, the risk of pest infestation is reduced.
Some green manures, planted between rows, attract pests. You can plant celandine, wormwood, sweet tobacco, and calendula. The scent of the latter attracts ladybugs, aphids' natural enemies.
You shouldn't get carried away with adding nitrogen fertilizers.
If there's insufficient light and too much moisture, the plant's structure becomes watery, attracting pests. Thinning after germination and overwatering are not recommended.

Folk remedies for aphids

There are many ways to get rid of pests. If insects re-infest, change the spray solution. Using the same solution repeatedly can cause pests to develop resistance (habituation). Types of spray solutions:

Potato tops. The greens are chopped, poured with warm water in a 1:2 ratio, and left for 2 hours.
Garlic and onion. To prepare the solution, crush the cloves with the peel and add water in a 1:4 ratio. The concentrated mixture is diluted: half a glass per bucket of water. An onion remedy is prepared in the same way.
From shag and soap. A mixture of 200 grams of shag and half a grated bar of soap is dissolved in a bucket of warm water and left to steep for 24 hours.
With chamomile. Add 0.5 kg of dried plant material to 4 liters of water and leave for 12 hours. Before spraying the plants, mix the mixture with water in a 1:3 ratio.
Based on yarrow. Fresh stems are picked before flowering. Place 0.2 kg of stems and leaves in 2 liters of warm water and boil in a double boiler for 1 hour. Then place in a dark place for 2 days. Strain and pour into a spray bottle.
Dandelion. This remedy is the quickest to prepare. The leaves and stems are steeped in a 1:10 ratio. It can be used within 3 hours. Celandine is brewed in the same ratio, but for a richer infusion, it's left for 24 hours.
Made from citrus zest. The mixture is steeped for 3 days and then diluted with water in a 1:3 ratio.
Pine needle decoction. Steep for a week, adding 1 kg to 10 liters of water, stirring daily.

The most effective aphid control agents are an ash-soap mixture (150 g ash and 20 g laundry soap per 10 liters of water) or dissolved tar soap (200 g per 10 liters), or regular, inexpensive vodka. You can try this complex mixture: dissolve 1 cup each of shag tobacco and wood ash, 1 tablespoon each of dry mustard, and grated laundry soap in 2 liters of water. Let the mixture sit, covered, for 3 hours, then dilute it in 10 liters of water.