How to get rid of aphids on peppers

Aphids, despite their microscopic size, are a very dangerous pest for many garden crops, including peppers. These insects can appear not only on plants in the garden (in garden beds and greenhouses), but also on seedlings grown indoors.

Therefore, it is very important to know all the techniques for fighting aphids, and also not to forget about prevention.

Signs of aphids on pepper

There are over three thousand different species of aphids in nature, with peppers most commonly attacked by the small black aphid (dangerous for seedlings) and the green aphid (melon aphid). The latter species also infests pumpkins, squash, and strawberries. The insects are highly prevalent; the parasite reproduces rapidly, and without prompt action, the entire crop can be lost. Aphids infesting young pepper seedlings often lead to the death of the tender seedlings. They can also migrate to tomato seedlings and houseplants.

In a greenhouse or garden bed, the spread of aphids is facilitated by ants, which feed on the insects' waste products—honeydew. Ants even protect aphid colonies, which greatly increases the pest's population. These insects can appear on peppers at any stage of the growing season, parasitizing twigs, stems, leaf blades, buds, and flowers. Aphids pierce the skin of the plant tissue with their proboscises and feed on its sap. This leads to the wilting of the plant and ultimately its death.

How can you tell if your peppers are being attacked by aphids? Key signs:

• the leaves on the pepper begin to curl and wither;
• on the lower part of the leaf blade, upon close examination, you can see entire colonies of insects (black or light green);
• on the leaves below, as well as on the lower part of the stem, there are numerous clutches of aphid eggs;
• pepper buds do not open, wither, dry out and fall off;
• the upper young shoots of pepper become deformed and dry out;
• pepper stops growing;
• when touching the leaf with your fingers you feel a sticky surface (due to aphid honeydew);
• The reverse side of the leaf blade shines when a ray of sunlight hits it (again, due to the honeydew of aphids).

Peppers grown in garden beds or greenhouses that are infested with aphids often have large numbers of ants. They can be seen moving along the plant stems, consuming the insects' honeydew.

Control measures are selected based on the severity of plant infestation, the number of insects, and the growing conditions. In the early stages, when there's still plenty of time before fruit formation and ripening, chemical pesticides can be used. For flowering peppers with ripening fruit, gentler control methods are recommended, as chemical pesticides are toxic. Carefully read the instructions for each commercial pesticide, follow all recommendations, and adhere to the recommended application times and dosages.

Seed treatment before sowing

Pests typically primarily attack weakened, unhealthy, and stunted plants. Therefore, it's crucial to properly prepare pepper seeds before planting, harden them, and treat them to ensure high-quality, vigorous seedlings.

Disinfection helps destroy any potential fungi and spores on the surface of seeds, so it's important not to neglect these procedures. Standard seed preparation techniques used by almost all gardeners today include:

• sorting;
• etching;
• hardening;
• germination.

To select the most viable pepper seeds, use a salt solution. Dissolve 2-3 tablespoons of salt in a liter of clean water, mix thoroughly, and then drop the seeds into the jar. Any seeds that float to the surface are unsuitable for planting, while the "heavy" seeds are the ones that will produce good seedlings. Carefully remove them, rinse, and dry.

A simple and time-saving technique is to soak peppers in potassium permanganate. Soak the seeds in the pink solution for no more than 20 minutes, then remove them and rinse with clean water. If desired, you can also soak the peppers in a growth stimulator, which promotes uniform germination.

Hardening is done by placing the seeds in the refrigerator for approximately 1-1.5 days, maintaining a temperature of at least -1°C (-3°F). It's important not only to prepare the seeds for sowing but also to treat the soil where the peppers will be grown. For this, the same potassium permanganate solution is used, but the solution is more saturated, turning it dark purple. Pepper seeds are sown in the prepared mixture no sooner than two days later, allowing the potassium permanganate to soak into the soil.

All these measures are preventative, ensuring peppers are protected from various infections and good germination. However, it's important to remember to follow proper growing practices, including temperature control and proper watering. Often, it's the failure to follow proper growing practices (too hot temperatures, overwatering) that leads to aphids appearing on peppers.

Pepper processing

As soon as you notice aphids infesting your peppers, you need to treat them immediately. It's best if the pest population is small, as then control is easier. However, if for some reason you missed the initial appearance of the aphids or didn't pay much attention to it, and entire colonies of the insects have formed on your peppers, you'll need to act decisively and resort to more serious means.

All control measures are divided into three groups:

1. Use of folk remedies during treatments.
2. Control of aphids with various chemicals.
3. Attracting volunteers to help, as well as using biological agents.

The choice of method depends on the scale of the infestation, the number of pests on the bushes, and the number of pepper plantings.

Folk remedies

Gardeners have a wide variety of recipes for aphid control. Folk remedies are popular because they allow (especially for minor pest infestations) to achieve good results without the use of toxic chemicals. Every vegetable grower strives for a bountiful harvest that's also environmentally friendly. And folk remedies are a great help in achieving this.

They are most effective where aphid numbers are low. All of these compounds are also used as preventative measures to protect against this dangerous insect. Incidentally, many of them not only help against aphid infestations but also prevent other pests and various infections.

1. Using a soap solution. This is the recipe most gardeners resort to when aphids are spotted on their peppers. The ingredients are simple: grated laundry soap (some use liquid soap) and clean, hot water. You'll need about 10 grams of soap per liter. Mix the mixture thoroughly, let it cool, and then apply it to the pepper plants.

You can wipe the pepper leaves on both sides with a soapy solution, at the same time removing aphids from the surface.

2. To combat aphids, many people use ash to make an infusion. Three cups of sifted ash are dissolved in 10 liters of warm water and left to steep for about two days. To make the mixture last longer on the plants, it's recommended to add soap to the ash infusion.
3. A tobacco infusion can also be made with soap. If you have dried tobacco leaves, crush them, cover them with warm water (use two buckets of water for every half kilogram of leaves), and let them sit for two days. Add some soap shavings, mix well, and spray the affected peppers.
4. An infusion of tomato tops is also effective. After removing the leaves or removing the side shoots, don't throw the tops away; instead, steep them in hot water and let them steep. The more leaves you use, the more concentrated the infusion will be, and the more effective the result. Soap is also added to this infusion for better adhesion.
5. Every housewife has mustard powder, an infusion of which also helps repel aphids. First, dilute the powder and let it steep for 2-3 days in a small amount of water (30 grams of dry mustard per 0.5 liters). Then add 9 liters of water (to make about a full bucket), stir, and use for spraying.
6. Infusions of various aromatic herbs, such as chamomile, celandine, yarrow, and dandelion, are used against aphids. It's best to add hot water to these infusions, let them steep, and then use them for treatment.

Good results in the fight against aphids are also shown by compositions containing ammonia (you will need to take two tablespoons of the product per bucket of water), spruce needles (it can be replaced with spruce pharmaceutical oil), and soda (a spoonful of soda is dissolved in a liter of warm water, and a few shavings of soap are added).

These recipes are suitable for use on pepper seedlings, as spraying plants with chemicals at home is unsafe. Unfortunately, home remedies often prove ineffective. Insects are highly resilient and reproduce very quickly (especially under favorable conditions), so herbal infusions or tobacco leaves are ineffective against the pest. In this case, gardening products containing potent chemicals will help.

Chemicals

Chemical treatments are effective, and even if a large number of aphids are detected on peppers, these treatments will provide results. However, it's important to be mindful of the toxicity of the substances used, the proper application procedures, and the timing of the procedure.

Each product comes with detailed instructions, specifying application times, frequency, and dosage. The instructions also take into account the hazard class, recommended conditions (prohibition of use near water bodies, other restrictions), and phytotoxicity.

It's best to treat plants with solutions containing the preparations in the evening, on a windless day, taking into account weather conditions (for peppers grown outdoors). If rain is forecast, it's best to postpone treatment, as precipitation washes away the preparations from the plants and reduces the effectiveness of the treatment.

The following preparations are used against aphids:

• Spark;
• Confidor;
• Inta-Vir;
• Actellic;
• Aktara;
• Fury.

As you can see, the list (which is not exhaustive) is quite extensive, so you can choose the products most suitable for your specific conditions. For example, Fufanon can be used against a wide range of pests and is effective against large aphid infestations and severe plant infestations. Moreover, it is not as toxic as, for example, Aktara.

Inta-Vir is a popular product with contact and intestinal effects. It's applied by preparing a spray solution and dissolving the tablets in water. Dosage should be strictly as directed, and it's recommended to treat peppers with Inta-Vir before flowering.

Aktara is highly effective, but it is classified as a Class 3 pesticide and is toxic to many insects. Aktara treatments are administered twice to achieve complete pest control.

In case of prolonged rainy weather, you can use Confidor. This product is not washed off by rain, and the results are noticeable within a few hours. Peppers will receive protection for about a month.

For peppers in greenhouses, Actellic is recommended for immediate action. The product comes in ampoules and is diluted in water at the prescribed dose. It has a high hazard rating, so protective equipment is required when handling it: gloves, goggles, protective clothing, and a respirator.

Each drug has its own instructions, but the general rule is to use the product no less than 20-25 days before harvesting the fruit from the plants.

Biowarfare

The use of specialized biological products against aphids on peppers deserves special attention. These new-generation products are effective and can be used at any stage of the growing season.

Biopreparations and their features:

1. Fitoverm is perhaps one of the most well-known products in this group. It is used according to the instructions and contains avermectin, which allows it to act almost instantly. The effect is noticeable in approximately 3-4 days, and lasts up to 20 days.
2. Strela is a product based on bacterial spores. The active ingredient, bitoxibacillin, causes aphids to become "sick" after treatment, stopping them from feeding normally and eventually dying. Complete eradication of the pest occurs in approximately 10 days. Besides aphids, this product is also harmful to other insects that damage garden crops, so it can be used in a wide variety of situations.
3. Entobacterin powder contains bacterial spores and special protein crystals that are toxic to insects. Its effectiveness is best achieved at high temperatures (25ºC and above), and it can be used at any stage of the pepper's growth cycle.

4. Tanrek, a biological product, is an insecticide with contact and stomach action. Available in ampoules and vials, it is effective against aphids and a number of other pests. Good results are achieved when treating peppers in greenhouses. The waiting period is about three days, and protection lasts up to a month. This product is non-phytotoxic, its effectiveness is not affected by temperature, and for best results, it can be combined with Fitosporin.

Feathered helpers—tits, sparrows, and linnets—are also helpful in controlling aphids, as they readily eat insects. Bird feeders and birdhouses should be provided in the garden, and it's a good idea to feed the birds during cold weather. In the summer, they'll reward you by eliminating not only aphids but also other pests that can be dangerous to your garden.

Well-known ladybugs, ground beetles, and hoverflies also help combat aphids. If you have plenty of these natural helpers in your garden, no aphids will harm your crops. To attract beneficial insects, it's recommended to grow various aromatic herbs, which, incidentally, aphids hate. These include marigolds, garlic, basil, and lavender, which can be planted near pepper or tomato beds.

It's important to remember that using pesticides kills not only harmful insects but also beneficial ones. Therefore, it's always important to consider the intended outcome of using these chemicals.

Preventative measures against dangerous aphids include crop rotation, maintaining cleanliness in the area (removing all plant debris promptly, removing and disposing of affected plants), soil disinfection, and enriching the soil by sowing green manure crops. It is crucial to weed and prevent excessive soil moisture, as this is often the cause of aphid emergence and rapid proliferation. Ants, which contribute to the aphid population, should also be exterminated.

Aphids not only damage crops, they also carry a wide variety of diseases. Once they settle on peppers, the pests attack other crops, leading to infections. So, don't underestimate this pest and, if they appear, take prompt measures to protect your plants.

Reviews

Elena

I had aphids on my Beloserka pepper. I noticed them too late and treated them with a soapy solution, but it didn't help. Someone recommended Fitoverm, it's a very good remedy. The aphids completely disappeared. My neighbor also told me that she buries onion skins in the soil in the spring and the aphids don't appear. I think I'll try that too; it's better than poisoning the plants with pesticides.

Rose, Moscow region

Soap might be good, but I didn't see any effect from it. Perhaps modern pests have gotten used to this poison and adapted. The saleswoman at the store showed me a whole bunch of different products, and I chose Fury and used it according to the instructions. I had aphids on my peppers and shrubs. It got rid of them all. I was afraid these pests would plague me again next season, but surprisingly, there were no aphids. Although now I know how to get rid of these nasty things right away.

Nikolay

I had a sea of ​​aphids growing peppers in a greenhouse. Last year we sprayed them with tobacco, and they all fell in. This summer, as soon as we saw them, we immediately made a tobacco infusion and treated them. There was no result, but the insects seemed to have increased even more. At the city indoor market, the garden department recommended Aktara powder. I diluted it in water, sprayed the peppers, and also picked up some eggplants, where I also noticed aphids on a couple of plants. After the treatment, all the aphids immediately fell off the plants, and that was it, they were gone. Now that's what I call effective.