Re: aphids(&cats) + question on foliar feeding

Donald Mosser wrote:
> 
> At 01:32 AM 3/16/97 -0700, you wrote:
> >Hi All, we have a friend who gets adopted by stray cats, and wants to
> >know if there is anything that she can use to kill the aphids on her
> >iris that won't be harmful to the cats that keep resting in her iris
> >patch. Any suggestions?
> >Jan & Gordon Hueller, Tucson AZ, <hueller@worldnet.att.net>
> 
> Jan and Gordon,
> 
> A good strong force of water should do the trick for these aphids, but if
> it doesn't you may want to try something called insecticidal soap, which is
> of very low toxicity to humans and I assume pets as well.  It's a
> particular formulation of soap which when it comes in contact with the
> aphids it literally dries them out.  I purchased a small spray bottle of it
> at LOWE's hardware several years ago and have only used it when aphids
> attack a bloomstalk.(The brand was called "Concern", but it's also
> available under the trade name "Safer Soap").  I try to garden as
> organically as possible and I haven't used this yet this year.
> 
> This year I've been foliar feeding my irises with a mixture of liquid
> fertilizer with dishwashing liquid thrown in as a surfactant.  I also think
> the dishwashing liquid helps the fertilizer adhere to the leaves a little
> longer.  This dishwashing liquid may also be having some effect on the
> aphids.  I've found a few dehydrated aphids on my iris fans.
> 
> Anyone care to comment on foliar feeding of irises and how effective it is
> with the various types?  Does anyone know if fertilizer is actually
> absorbed through iris leaves in appreciable amounts or am I wasting my time
> spraying the leaves?
> Any speculation welcomed!
> 
> -Donald
> 
> Donald Mosser
> Member of AIS, HIPS, SIGNA, SSI, SLI, SPCNI, and IRIS-L
> dmosser@southconn.com
> http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/5570
> 
> North Augusta, South Carolina, USA
> On the South Carolina and Georgia Border
> USDA Zone 7b-8
For the last couple of winters my part of Delaware county has been
bombarded with lady bugs -- indoors!-- and ver pretty ones at that.  I
collected them up last year and sicced them on my irises and also on my
lupines which get badly infested, and it seemed to help, unless there
was something else at work and the ladybugs were just coincidental.
Rima
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