Neem oil or mix of dish liquid and water

Thank you Ashley. I will put Neem oil on my shopping list. I've been using insecticidal soap but the aphids were winning. I'm not sure but I think it's ok for monarchs as long as there are no caterpillars on the plant when it's sprayed and of course there aren't. I also tried diluted rubbing alcohol but everyone on the internet uses a different ratio so I guessed at it. I used two tablespoons of 70% rubbing alcohol in a cup of water plus a couple drops of dawn but it's too soon to know if it killed any. And I don't know if that stays in the plant either. My plants are looking a little sickly so it may not matter anyway. They may be dead by spring.

When I had bonsais, I had an aphid problem. I solved it pretty quick with a mixture of water and dish soap. Didn't even have to use the neem. But some plants are more sensitive and that's when I'd use the neem. You could use a few drops in water and spray the plants.

In the same way, you can mix dish soap with water in a sprayer and spray your plants down. I done that every day for about a week and I didn't have any more bug problems.

You're welcome and I Hope you get it figured out and your plants start thriving again.

One more thing...

Ladybugs eat aphids. So buy or plant something that attracts them. And place them by the effected plant. There's a lot of herbs and flowers that attract ladybugs.

Oh and if you mix a little baking soda and oil in the dish soap water mix it helps too.

For indoor use try a milk spray first. Google "milk spray for aphids".

I confess I haven't tried milk spray yet but I've read about it and it does sound promising. I was worried about over-spray onto my curtains and blinds. When we start having some warm days, I can take them out onto my patio temporarily and spray them there.

Alcohol in water definitely wasn't working so I increased the amount of alcohol a couple times so now using 4 tablespoons of 70% alcohol in a cup of water to spray on them. Even after that, I'm still seeing a few live ones but I think it's helping. A couple of my plants look dead and the other looks sickly. I took some cuttings because those I can easily rinse in the sink to remove the aphids. I've had pretty good luck rooting tropical milkweed in water but I was hoping to be able to winter over some potted plants so I would have some large ones to put out in the spring. It's not looking likely but I may have lots of small ones if my cuttings take. : )

The plants are indoors, so I would try brushing the aphids off with a moderately stiff paintbrush, and you could also spray them off with water over the sink. Neem oil is dangerous to butterflies.

This is in reply to what Ashley Poole said.

"Ladybugs eat aphids. So buy or plant something that attracts them. And place them by the effected plant. There's a lot of herbs and flowers that attract ladybugs."

Milkweed is the plant people buy to attract ladybugs to the garden. Why? Because milkweed attracts aphids in gross quantities. Ladybugs will not come to a garden unless and until there are enough aphids for them to eat. Plants alone do not attract ladybugs. It is the aphids eating the plants which attracts the ladybugs.

I have not had aphids in my garden for just over 20 years since I started fertilizing heavily with corn meal on the affected plants (roses and milkweed). I thought it was a coincidence at first, but after so many years and so many different homes, I'm convinced it is the corn meal making the plants much healthier which keeps the aphids away. In fact I forget that milkweed attracts aphids, because I just don't get them. I suspect that some other organic fertilizers would work, too, but I'm afraid to waiver from the tried and true.

My roses and milkweed are planted in the ground, so that might affect your success if yours are in pots. Organic fertilizers are not the best for potted plants.