Have the alliums deterred the deer at all? I've been looking for a way to keep the buggers out of my gardens but nothing seems to phase them. Not even a 120 pound German Shepard!

Joanne

Well the Chives are planted just about everywhere here and aphids still make camp.
Haven't had many aphids this year yet though...just like you...one here and one there, but no huge colonies.

What do aphids look like?

They are covering all of my Shasta daisies. I tried spraying an insecticidal soap recently, which I can't tell for sure if it helped. I did see a ladybug or two on them yesterday, so I decided not to spray again yet. Giving her a chance to take care of it for me first.

Greengardener, see the link below for photo, but be aware it is a close up showing them way larger than actual size.

Bonnie

Here is a link that might be useful: Photo of aphids

this is the first time I have had a major problem with aphids..I have about 10 Iris infront of the picket fence, and went out about a week ago to find my fence covered by them...UGH !! Soo, Hubby cleaned them up, and we ended up moving the iris..so far so good..dont see anymore.

Do Iris usually attrack them ?

Tiffy,
I'll take the tip and plant alliums near my Tansy and my Lupines...alliums are pretty anyway...
Thanks for the info :-)
(Someone suggested garlic powder which did seem to work for me...but man, garlic powder all over a plant doesn't make for pretty pictures).

Linda

Acually Garlic plants are supposed to be the no.1 determents for aphids.
greengardener7,

There are all kinds of aphids from green, black, red, orange and yellow. Then there are also woolly aphids that resemble masses of cotton like that of their close kin the Mealy Bugs.

The easiest treatment I find for aphids is just a good strong stray from the hose. The force usually knocks their mouth parts away from the body.
Remember if you ever see a shelled out or aphid that has turned tan in color that it has been parasitized by Parasitic Wasps who lay their eggs in aphids. Leave those ones be if at all possible :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Parasitic Wasps

Thanks for the allium tip, Tiffy!!
Now I know what to plant with my roses(14 of them, MAJOR investment for me!) Since my garden is for the birds(and butterflies) there is no spraying here. Even the tent caterpillars got to stay, my son was mad at me for leaving them. A flock of cedar waxwings came through and ate a bunch of them and just now a parent black capped chickadee was feeding the young ones a moth that was a tent caterpillar they ate about 5 before moving to different tree.
-B

Tiffy and Vera,
You know, when I look at last Spring and this Spring during the times the Lupines bloom, both of them were exceptionally cool for the season. That was when I saw aphids. So I'm thinking the weather was too cool for the aphid predators to be out and that was why the aphids were having a hey-day on the Lupines.
Now that it's warmed up, I'm not seeing any aphids on the Lupines that are blooming now (but I am seeing wasps and ladybugs).
I also found out that there is an aphid that specifically likes Tansy (and one bunch of my Lupines are sitting right between two Tansies). I grew the Tansy to draw beneficial bugs, but I guess it has its own predator (and it sure seems like the aphids aren't totally plant specific in my case, as they seem to on both the Lupines and the Tansy).
One thing I feel I have to read up on is what part of the plant beneficial bugs are attracted to on a specific plant-- the bloom or the foliage...or the root, even. Because if a beneficial bug is drawn to the bloom, but its too early in the season for me to have blooms ON that beneficial plant, I'm going to need a second line of natural defense that can stand in until the "primary" beneficial plant starts blooming.

Brandy, that is very cool about the birds and the tent catepillars. We have lots of black-capped chickadees. Maybe that's why I'm not seeing many at the feeder now-- they have lots of creepy-crawlies to eat off the plants and trees.

L

I recently planted some Julia Child rose bushes and was horrified to see aphids on the new growth. I reached for the insecticidal soap, but stopped before spraying. On closer inspection I noticed that I had a number of lacewings on the ends also. I waited and within a few days all aphids were history, as were the lacewings. Sometimes we have to let nature do its thing.

Now my roses are in bud and ready to bloom and they appear to be pest free. I've been trying to be more organic and I'm very happy that I waited before treating.

I learnt about aliums and aphids from my neighbour, who has a fantastic rose garden with some of the most tender English Teas included. She plants garlic chives, the tall ones, between the roses, and has no problem whatsoever. I was also advised a few years ago, when we had squirels galore in our gardens to plant probably the cheapest allium, Moly. It did the trick and has grown into the most beautiful yellow colonies which are just finished blooming. I had never had a problem with aphids until last year. Black aphids, which I'd never seen before, on my Asclepias incarnata. I just went after them with a paper towel and some soapy water and kept them under control. I have tried the Roseum some years ago, but it does not seem to be as hardy as the Moly. May try them again for the Asclepias.

I had a tiny aphid(?) on my chrysanthemums, which, incidentally were growing near some alliums. I washed them off twice with a hose. The third time I was fertilizing with a sprayer on the hose and washed them off again and have not seen them sense. I don't know if it was a third times charm affect or in the fertilizer in the wash had something to do with it.

Netwiz,

So far so good with the deers, but last night for the first time I literally chased three of them off the property. I was closing the garden part of my day when I heard something past the tree line. One got so curious it came about 10 feet from me and we had a staring match. I won! LOL!! I snapped a stick on a tree trunk and yelled at them. I'm sure that will teach them. :O) (Yep, really...)

Linda,

That is my problem here. By the time the aphids have done their damage, the Lacewings and Ladybugs still haven't been here because it's cool, so the Alliums do the job quite well. I like being able to enjoy the Lupines and the few roses I grow.

Northerner,

Ever hear of the book Roses Love Garlic? There's obviously some truth to it to a certain degree. I planted some around my roses and so far this year I have no rose slugs. :O)

Babcia,

Bravo to you for waiting! Those Lacewings are very pretty. We seldom have them here, possibly because we are a bit cooler than they would like. I've only seen two in the gardens in the last 6 years.

I don't use chemicals either since we started raising Monarchs 4 years ago. The rewards has been immeasurable!

I will definately plant some alliums in with my lupines and hope that they work for next year. My lupines are almost done blooming this year and I had stalks that were totally covered with aphids. I can't have that!
Thanks for the tip....alliums are so pretty.

Bonny