Re: pests in the greenhouse

> From: Andrea H <hodgesaa@islc.net>
> Is Ivory better than Joy? I have Joy, but I was afraid to use it.
It
> definitely keeps them in check, but I'm all paranoid about injuring
my
> crops!
----------

Andrea, I agree with David, try it on a couple first.  Soaps can
injure tender foliage when exposed to sunlight; seedlings can be
particularly vulnerable.  Personally, I'd go get some Safers before I
used household dishsoap of any brand on seedlings.  It lists what it
ought not to be used on the bottles.  If you use any soap, remember
it is a contact insecticide...if it does not hit the aphid, it will
not kill it.  

There are bio controls that you might try - I would if my g.h. was
not open to the garage and I did not keep a door open to the house
for heat - I'd just have them all over the house:-)

http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/info/biocont.html

http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/predators/aphidoletes.htm
l

http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/predators/chrysoperla.htm
l

http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/pathogens/fungi.html

http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/predators/coleomeg.html

Do NOT use hort. oil - tried that last year and just about lost an
entire lot of baby hellebores...

In the g.h., I have not found sharp sprays of water to work as well
as they do outside; seems the aphid population is just too massive
when it builds up and seedlings can't take a really sharp blast of
water.  Best to try to nip the population in the bud if you can.  My
beloved brugs are aphid magnets and can get really infested, and, of
course, the little beggers then move on to everything else, with a
preference for lilly and Arisaema seedlings.  Do NOT love aphids.
Spent some time squashing the first brigade the other day...squashing
works but is very tedious if you have a lot of plants...but quite
satisfying:-)

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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