APHIDS..........

................................. are one of the most irritating garden pests, attacking vegetables, fruit, roses and trees.  It doesn't matter if they are black, green or woolly they all have the same objective of tapping into plant veins to feed on sap.  They are particularly attracted to young tender shoots and lush, leafy growth.  They are unlikely to kill the plant but can cause distortion and curling of leaves as well as general weakness.  As they go from plant to plant they can also spread plant viruses.


           *  Avoid too much nitrogen-rich fertiliser.
               This creates the soft leafy growth which
                aphids love.

           *  Encourage wildlife.  Many creatures feed on
               aphids including hoverflies, ladybirds, earwigs,
               birds and bats. Hanging up a piece of fat over
      Greenfly                               rose bushes in winter will encourage blue-tits.
                                                 Flat, open or simple flowers (eg fennel, calendula,
                                                 nettles, buckwheat, poached egg plant) will
                                                 attract hoverflies and other insects.

  *  Build shelters for overwintering lacewings.  A lacewing will eat approx 10,000
      aphids in its lifetime.

  *  Choose resistant varieties of plants (eg Milan or Little Gem lettuce)
      Right plant, right place will produce healthy growth.

  *  Pick off badly infested leaves.

  *  Spray effected plants with a strong jet of water to dislodge the aphids.

CONTROLS

  *  In a tunnel or glasshouse you could consider introducing PREDATORS.

  *  You can spray with SAVONA or PYRETHRUM