RE: aphids
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: RE: aphids
- From: "* A* J* <L*@msn.com>
- Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 22:48:53 -0700 (MST)
Cliff Snyder writes:
>Trouble in paradise!! With temperatures in the upper 60's and bright
>sunshine, while weeding this afternoon I found aphids running rampant on
>my iris. I've been raising iris for quite some time and never had even a
>speck of aphids. Any explanations out there from the experts?
Cliff,
I can't tell you why you suddenly have aphids, never having had them before,
but I can tell you that I always have them and why.
I interplant my Iris with roses which always have aphids, and I have ants
which people say spread the aphids. I am an organic gardener so don't spray
with chemicals. I buy ladybugs every year, but by the time ladybugs can
survive the night time low temperatures the aphids are usually in full swing.
To combat this I spray in the early morning with dish soap. This helps some, I
am not sure if it is the dish soap or just the spray knocking the aphids off
the leaves. I also go out with my gloved hands and scrape them off. But I
never seem to get them all, but enough to keep them under control.
Good luck getting rid of your aphids and I hope you figure out why you have
them. Perhaps them came with some new Iris to your garden?
Jefrie Jenkins
Kent, WA
Sunset zone 5 - USDA zone 7
AIS region 13
e-mail: Leon_Adams_Jr@msn.com
