Aphids feed on plant food, on the sugar (produced during photosynthesis) in the sap, so they limit your plant's potential relative to the degree they are present and actively feeding.

If aphids are all you're worried about, spray them off in the morning with a sharp stream of water after any dew has dried. This timing helps to ensure you're not prolonging the length of time the plant remains continuously wet and inadvertently providing an appropriately long incubation period for any errant fungal spores that might be hanging around. If you don't have a jungle full of plants, a 50/50 mix of water and rubbing alcohol offers instant knockdown against aphids, mites, and some stages of mealybug, and the crawler stage of scale.

Al

A systemic like imidacloprid will take care of that aphid problem straight away. You also need to deal with the ants. Bait stations will take care of the ants pretty effectively. You really have to eliminate the ants because they will pick the aphids up after you knock them off and carry them back up the plant.

Thanks, Al and Nil13!!!

Holy mackerel. I knew ants "farmed" aphids but I didn't know they went to such lengths! Wow.

I have a follow-up now, about 5-1-1 v Gritty for pests, but I will go do a search first. It would be nicer not to have to kill things...

I'm not adverse to using products that deliver imidacloprid - it's a great insecticide and I use it regularly. I especially like Bayer 3-in-1 for insects, disease, and mite control, as well as the liquid imidicloprid soil drenches. I DON'T like the products that deliver imidicloprid in granular form like Marathon or Dragon. Recent research is showing imidicloprid gets a bad rap for a lot of things it's not responsible for. I just tend to try to follow IPM practices when I think it might be feasible. IPM practices would have us using the least noxious chemical possible to bring insect populations down to numbers we can live with. That's one of the reasons neem oil is an oft used tool in my box of tricks. It doesn't work fast, but it works great for the patient.

Al

Neem oil has a pretty small application window in SoCal due to temperature. It was 85F here today.

Okay, so to make sure I understand - is it Bayer for the aphids and Terro baits for the ants?

I really appreciate the help, folks!

Yes that is correct.

Thanks again, folks!

I just put out the ant baits yesterday, and I'm hoping for the best. If I'm lucky I can attract more different kinds of insects and not have to do this again.

I wouldn't count on beneficial insects for pest control on a balcony.

I would still add plants that attract beneficials, as they are just fun to grow.

Such as basil, as I like to cook too, so the plant has dual purposes and aphids hate basil!

http://www.dianeseeds.com/flowers/beneficial-insects.html

The "beneficials" N2SG needs are most attracted to nonbeneficials.

Al

For some reason, this all reminds me of the time a squirrel got into the balcony -- it ate everything but left the basil - the only food crop I had -- for last.

"I DON'T like the products that deliver imidicloprid in granular form like Marathon "

Al, why not? Is it because it takes too long for the imidacloprid to translocate inside the plant? I do not see how it is much different than a soil drench, other than that the granules may take a little longer to work.

I have a gallon of granular Marathon, and I've used a granular product called Dragon, too. Both products seriously affected root health of the plants they were used on. The plants were indoors, under lights for the winter. Several barely made it through 'til spring when I could get them repotted. Those were the only plants I ever had difficulty with.

If I use imidacloprid now, I usually use the Bayer 3-in-1 spray (always use this for plants growing outdoors) or a 1.47% soil drench mixed 2 tsp/qt of water (indoor applications).

Al

I am curious how granular imidacloprid be able to affect root health like that? Maybe it is something else in Marathon/Dragon's formulation? Wouldn't it break down within 2 months or so, if you didn't use much? I'm thinking about using bionide systemic granules for a serious chilli thrip infestation in my rose garden.

Also, why the 3-1 spray with fungicide and miticide when one doesn't need it? easy availability in stores?