Aphids is a term generally used to refer to small insects that infest plants and feed on the sap they produce. Aphids are incredibly hard to get off once they infest your garden. It is even harder to find environmentally friendly ways to get rid of them without having to buy large containers of pesticides and contaminating your plants in the process. The remedies discussed below are convenient and easy to make at home, they are cheap and environmentally friendly.
Physically removing the aphids
This technique might seem like a little too much on the nose, but it is definitely the cheapest method out there. This method is especially useful if the aphid infestation is localized to only a single plant or a part of the plant. Using gardening gloves and then picking off each aphid one by one is the best option for your plant’s health. We realize that this may not be as advantageous if the population of aphids and the area affected is large.
Soap and Water
This method too is quite simple, cheap and has the added advantage of being environmentally friendly. Not only that, it takes very little time and produces excellent results. You can add a couple of teaspoons of dish soap to about 3 liters of water and then mix it thoroughly. Then put this soapy mixture in a spray-on bottle and spray it over there affected plants. This technique causes minimal damage to the plant itself but washes the waxy coat off the aphids leaving them vulnerable to dehydration and eventually death. It is important to ensure that the soapy water is not too concentrated because then it could damage the plants. Also, make sure to spray on the underside of the leaf too, for best possible results.
Predatory Insects
Another way to kill aphids naturally is to raise the population levels of some predatory insects in your garden. You can plant fruits and flowers that have been known to naturally attract such insects, or you can go the easy route. You can buy many of these insects online for very reasonable prices. Once you let them loose in the soil, you’ll see that they consume the aphids rapidly and eventually as the aphid population goes down, the predatory insects will die off on their own or move on. The insects best known for having a special appreciation for aphids is the Lady Bug.
Neem Oil and Water
Neem oil can be used in much the same way as the soap and water technique mentioned above. Simply dilute the oil in water and spray it onto the plants. The organic compounds in the oil keep aphids and many other pests away from your plants.
Final Words
You will find many ways to get rid of aphids online. But the techniques we have focused in here are the best and by far the most environmentally friendly and economical of all. They require no equipment nor do they require any chemicals not easily available in all homes at all times. It is now up to you to decide which one of these techniques suits you best.