Aphids multiply faster than rabbits! They are initiyally introduced (usually) by ants. The ants bring them in and then feed off the "dew" the aphids produce. It's a symbiotic relationship which, unfortunately, kills your gardening efforts.

Look to see if you have ants. Control them first or they will just bring in more aphids as fast as you remove them.

Aphids can be hosed off with a moderately-hard spray from the hose. Do that, then apply a mist of water mixed with dish-washing detergent -- just enough to make the water a tiny bit foamy. Don't put too much or it'll foul up your sprayer. Aphids can't handle soap or detergent (there's a difference!).

Aphids, by the way, can reproduce sexually or asexually. That means they can just "do themselves" so to speak and pop out a clone. Hit them hard and hit them fast or it's curtains for you 'maters.

Aphids multiply faster than rabbits! They are initiyally introduced (usually) by ants.

No.

Ants protect and farm aphids, but aphids have wings. This fact is important in control, as Al foil or white poly mulches have been used to confuse aphids. The ants will protect and farm aphids once there. Everything else above is good advice.

My formula for killing aphids once on the plant is 1 tbsp dish soap per qt water in a sprayer, spray only in early morning or late afternoon, else you'll cook the leaves.

Aphids are one of the primary vectors for transmitting disease, and control is important. Usually IPM is the best way, rather than chemical bombs. Good luck.

Dan

Here is a link that might be useful: UC IPM Aphid Control

1 tbsp dish soap per qt water in a sprayer

Dan - did you really mean 1 tablespoon per quart? That is a lot stronger than the usual recipe of 1 tablespoon per gallon and could very easily burn the plants.

Over the years I too have had good success with soapy water spray but a much weaker solution level than even the 1 T per gallon recipe and with little or no harm to the plants. Murphy's Oil Soap 1/4 teaspoon per quart works well and I agree - avoid spraying in the heat of the day or direct sun and go for the bugs rather than just drenching the whole plant.

Another point for "aphid proofing" is avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers, especially in excess. Talk about an aphid magnet!! ;)

Dave

Whoops! Thanks for being my editor digdirt - I meant per gal in a qt sprayer. Apparently I need more coffee today.

I've used weaker too, but adding either a bit of garlic or chile powder in the mix, but that was in CA where there are a lot more critters than here in Colo. , and either Murphy's or just some vegetable oil.

Dan

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestions for killing the aphids once on the plant, but I read that this type of control is rather ineffective if the infected aphid has bitten the plant before the application of spray.

Now a spray that would discourage the aphid from biting in the first place, that might help a lot. I was hoping that an agricultural oil might discourage biting, but...

"Stylet oil reduced the incedence and spread of aphid spread viruses...when the innoculum pressure was high the oil did not reduce the virus spread to toleratable levels."

So I guess using oil is worth a try, but I am not overly encouraged.

What would anyone recommend to spray on the plant that would make it unattractive to aphids? Would spraying pyrethrins every few days be of any help?

Gary

Here is a recipe for an aphid repellent tea to spray. Never tried it but sure couldn't hurt anything.

There is also some info on Google 'aphid repellent' about trap crops, aluminum foil, and garlic that might be worth checking out.

One question I meant to ask earlier - are you sure the source of the problem is aphids rather than whiteflies? While aphids can transmit some viral diseases they aren't normally associated with tomato diseases but with those affecting squashes, cucumbers, pumpkins, beans, and such while tomato viral diseases are more commonly blamed on whiteflies.

Just wondering.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Aphid repellent tea

The IPM links I provided are a complete method of reducing aphid pests.

The oil is to keep the spray on the plant, and using it in your spray combined with garlic-pepper is an effective deterrent.

Last year we were very successful here in Denver area with growing native sunflowers as a trap crop - seemingly every aphid on the yard (and the attendant ants) were on the sunflowers and I had one tom and one lettuce with aphids. No peppers, and the aphids on the okra were no big deal (differnent spp tho...). Combined with soap-pepper-oil spray, I had a good year wrt aphids.

Digdirt has an interesting point wrt whiteflies - my standard ref states "[a]phids are the most important vectors of plant viruses and transmit the great majority (about 250) of all stylet-borne viruses..."(p 495) [Agrios 1997. Plant Pathology. Harcourt Brace & Company, San Diego (4th Ed) 635 pp.]. Meaning: you have to control aphids first, then next step is indeed likely whiteflies. At the same time, however, you can control using IPM for whiteflies without interfering with aphid control (sticky cards, e.g.), and for not much more money, as the sprays described above can also deter whiteflies.

Dan

digdirt, I have been unsuccessful with obtaining a positive identification for the actual virus, but not from lack of trying. It appears likely that the virus is Cucumber Mosaic Virus (Carolyn's best guess too) which is spread only by aphids so I am told. Thanks for the added info, here I thought garlic was only for vampires!

Dan, yes the IPM info seems very complete, will have to study it thoroughly. It seems like using trap crops would be very useful if it works, I have some volunteer sunflowers already, I will have to check them for aphids, though it may be a little early in the season for infestation. I read one recommendation on using a thick planting of corn between the prevailing wind and the tomatoes, will have to think about that again.

Yes, of course I do have whitefly. Not the kind that transmits Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus based on inspection of how they hold their wings...who knew?

As I say, I am determined to beat the virus this year. Still thinking about using socks over the plants, but at this point am also thinking belt, suspenders, and a little extra rope metaphorically speaking.

Thanks,
Gary

Although this will not tackle first aphid invasion it is an economical DIY biological control program.
Capture lady bugs to put in plastic petri dishes - line the bottom of dishes with moist paper towel for your lady to drink.
Feed them & their subsequent progeny aphids.
You can also pirate lady bug amber eggs from under side of leaves.
The developmental stages of lady bugs is quite straight forward & easily found on line. You can adapt the scale & sequential stages' isolation to your budget.
Goal is to release lots of young adults on crops; I grow year round so these are practical predators to perpetuate.
If nothing else, it's a safe children's project.

I`ve used neem for the past two years with good results.I spray one week with neem next week with soap and Murphys oil. I continue as needed, has worked for me in Ga.

Gary,
It seems like using trap crops would be very useful if it works, I have some volunteer sunflowers already,

I had an old GF that worked for a Resource Conservation District in CA, and her day was spent in farmer's fields who were doing IPM and ensuring that their programs were working. Trap crops are an integral part of IPM, and sunnies are a good way to cheer up the yard at the same time. She also spent energy planting crops that attracted beneficials (e.g. parasitic wasps) that kill aphids as well, but its too late at that point to stop viruses, so you have to ensure they don't land on your toms - confusion and trap crops.

Good luck this year, sir.

Dan

More questions about trap crops:

I have noticed in my yard that different aphids like different crops. The tomatoes seem to attract fat red aphids, the cole crops small grey ones, black aphids are crazy about nasties. So how can I tell what the best trap crop would be for trapping the red ones? Assuming of course that the red aphids are the vectors, something that is a bit of a leap on my part.

I assume I shouldn't use tomato plants for a trap crop for tomatoes since they can help transmit the virus?

It is best if the aphid species in question is more attracted to the trap crop than the tomato plant?

I am so confused...how to choose? By observation in my own yard seems like a method, but only providing I am already growing the proper trap crop. I looked at the sunflowers in my yard and they did indeed have some bugs, very small fly looking things that are not at all like the fat red aphids I have regularly observed on my tomato plants.

What to do?

Also, I have a wild weed preserve upwind of me, I presume that the aphids regularly blow in from there. Assuming I am using sunflowers, do I want several rows blocking the wind, perhaps in an L on the two windward sides? Mamouth sunflowers would physically block the invasion? They also will block the sun since the wind comes from the South.
Is distance from trap to tomato a factor?
Decisions, decisions.

Thanks again for any helpful suggestions.

Gary

Well, Gary, this is exactly the kind of question session that the old GF used to do. I remember one year, she brought back maybe 75# of tomato one day from a farmer who wanted to express his thanks - we canned for a long hard day, but appreciated it later. Anyway...

I suspected you had something nearby that fostered aphid growth, which is why I said IPM right away, then trap crop. Usu in an organic, IPM garden, more than one trap crop is used, one for the cool seasons and one for the warm seasons or the big cash crop.

In your case, you likely want to contact your Extension office or Resource Conservation District, set an appointment with the Entomologist, and state your virus issue and the need to trap crop the offending aphids. The Entomologist - provided they aren't 22-23 years old (altho many may be able to do this if in the UC system) - should have the aphid spp and their trap crops off the top of their head in a minute or so.

So your strategy for the Entomologist should be, I want to do IPM to deter aphids, so what aphid, what trap crop, and what 'confuser' (foil, white poly, cream poly) - aphids fly to a color spectrum. That is: your range of aphid spp. wants to find plants that reflect sunlight at, say, 5800 so what color do you put down to make them keep flying (because they don't see your plants in the sea of white poly reflecting 4800Ã) and land on your trap crop? There the ants farm them and everyone is happy - the ladybugs come in, the Ichneumon wasps, then the mantids - a veritable zoo! especially if you have kids. Likely they are going to tell you to do a couple extra toms somewhere - like your pastes or canners - as insurance as well - there, you have plenty of growing season for extras, so don't worry about it.

Hope this helps.

Dan

Dan, assuming I am successful with my tomato crop this year (thanks in part to your informative advice), where do I send the 75 lbs of tomatoes?

Thanks, eh?

Gary

Gary:

Don't send them this way, you'll get me in major trouble - I'm already getting grief from the fam for how many cells I have in the incubator planted with toms. ;o)

Not a problem. This sort of thing was semi-regular conversation in my life for many years. Good gardening, sir.

Dan

Wow. This got to be a really-long post. Lots of good stuff here.

I knew aphids had wings, but was told they were initially brought in by ants. Perhaps that is misinformation on my part; sorry.

I've had both in my greenhouse and am currently testing a new product that is supposed to kill the little buggers (aphids). The product is harmless to animals and is non-carcinogenic.

It's too soon to tell much, but as I obtain results, I'll post them here or on my Web site (URL in profile).

What is "IPM"?

IPM = Integrated Pest Management.

And as for ants and aphids, freemangreens, you may not be far off. While I can't say for certain that ants "bring" the aphids (although I've read that they can), they certainly do farm them. They will move them from plant to plant and protect them from the beneficials that you want to bring in to kill them. I had a HUGE problem with aphids last year on my cantaloupe plant. Nothing I tried worked until I got rid of the ants, then the aphids slowly disappeared.

Oh, and not all aphids have wings.

(For the Heroes fans out there) Kill the ants, kill the aphids!

I'm not sure why you would want to kill ants, as they perform many beneficial services - this is akin to flying a crop duster over your property to have it drop Roundup on your entire property to kill a few dandelions on the lawn (or always using an antibacterial soap for all needs). Think of the problems in Yellowstone with wolf eradication - same in your yard.

Nonetheless, ants move aphids short distances on individual plants or occasionally to the next plant over, but across your yard or from yard to yard, no. Most ant colony ranges are limited, and your typical suburban lot may have 3-10 colonies of little black ants, and they don't intermingle without problems. I would say our ~8000 sf yard has at least a half-dozen such colonies, two in our 300 sf raised bed.

And many, many of us await freeman's product test results!

Dan

I'm not sure why you would want to kill ants, as they perform many beneficial services

Other than loosening up the soil where the mound is located, what benefits to ants provide?

Most ant colony ranges are limited, and your typical suburban lot may have 3-10 colonies of little black ants, and they don't intermingle without problems.

Maybe in your zone. In the south, we have black ants too and they don't seem to be much of a problem. We also have fire ants, and they are a problem. Other than the stinging, they will farm the aphids. You may be correct that they won't move aphids across the yard, but they don't have a problem moving them to another plant four feet away from the first one. I've seen a colony of ants on one corner of my house make a trail to the opposite corner of the house to enter through a crack to a bathroom ON THE SECOND FLOOR! Last summer, I saw trails of ants running the entire length of my back yard that runs 50 ft across, although I don't know that they would carry an aphid that far.

Last year, the aphids left my tomatoes alone, but practically killed a cantaloupe plant that ran 12+ feet in both directions (24+ feet total). Ants were seen on both ends, as were the aphids. I had several lady bugs in my garden, but for the most part, they left the aphids alone until I got rid of the ants. The ants will protect the aphids from predators, or at least the local Texas southern red-neck fire-ant will.

Other than loosening up the soil where the mound is located, what benefits to ants provide?

Other than consuming herbivores, what benefits to wolves provide?

Context. Killing an invasive species is different than killing a native or "naturalized" beneficial. Maybe in your zone. In the south, we have black ants too

Context. Gary is not in the south. His problem is not an invasive species of ant.

Thanks!

Dan

Hi,

You might want to check out (google) using silver mulch (or reflective mulch) to deter aphids. Lots of info on this on the web, but here's one good little article:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9504E4DA113DF935A35754C0A96F958260

I'm experimenting with using Aluminet Shade Cloth as a reflective mulch on my raised beds this year. Here's a link to my forum thread on the subject:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0212274929524.html

FWIW!
Anne

Other than consuming herbivores, what benefits to wolves provide?

They look pretty and keep the herbivore population in check, preventing them from rummaging through my garbage. :-). Besides, who doesn't love dogs?

Context. Killing an invasive species is different than killing a native or "naturalized" beneficial.

Fireants are native down here (some species are naturalized) and while they do provide benefits, I would not call them beneficial. They are killing machines that kill true beneficials (including animals like small frogs to birds too young to fly) and farm aphids. I would compare them to a broad spectrum pesticide. Sure, they have may have some benefits, but they are more of a problem than they are worth. (although, I still have not found a benefit to the fire ant).

Context. Gary is not in the south. His problem is not an invasive species of ant.

I didn't see a zone listed for Gary, although I don't know that southern ants are the only ones that farm aphids. Also, Freemangreens is from a southern area and he's the one who originally brought up the ant/aphid relationship.

Finally, while we may disagree, odds are that we are both correct. In your area ants may not be a problem. Around here they are. Depending on the situation, they can easily change from a nuisance to an outright danger.

And while your experience my differ, I can only offer what I have learned from experience. Non-pesticides did not work for me. I tried soapy water, chili powder, garlic, alcohol and many other home remedies. Most did more damage to the plant than to the aphids. The only thing that worked for me was Sevin. Sevin did nothing to the aphids, but it killed the ants. Within three weeks, the aphids were under control.

Of course, your mileage may vary. Things work differently in different zones. For that matter, they may work differently in the SAME zone (I have different results in Austin than my family does in Houston. Both Zone 8, but very different climates).

Finally, now that I read a bit more into it, since freemangreens is talking about aphids in his greenhouse, ants may not be his problem either. But, like I said, I can only speak from my own experience. Comparing pests between our zones is like comparing weather (snow vs thunderstorms... both weather, but like the ants, they are different animals altogether!).

Some light reading from Auburn AL:
Fire ants and aphids exhibit a mutualistic relationship whereby fire ants obtain honeydew, a carbohydrate rich excretion, from aphids and, in return, protect aphids from natural enemies and potential competitors. This behavior is called "tending" and results in larger aphid populations. In addition to larger aphid populations, fire ants may indirectly increase the production of alate aphids and increase aphid dispersal, thereby increasing the spread of aphid-vectored viruses. We investigated the effects of fire ants by manipulating densities of red imported fire ants in greenhouse and field experiments. We found that non-aphid herbivores and natural enemies were more abundant in tomato fields with suppressed densities of fire ants than in fields with high densities of fire ants. In contrast we found that aphids were more abundant in tomato fields with high fire ant densities. These results suggest that fire ants are consuming non-aphid herbivores and natural enemies while protecting honeydew-producing aphids. In a greenhouse study we found that aphids dispersed to neighboring plants significantly more frequently in the presence of fire ants than in no fire ant treatments. These results suggest that fire ants increase aphid dispersal, and may alter landscape ecology by connecting spatially disjunct plant populations via aphid dispersal, thereby increasing the spread of aphid-vectored viruses.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ant/Aphid relationship in fields and greenhouses