Green fly - everywhere!
Lfin100
Posts: 24
Hello,
We have had a recent infestation of greenfly jn our garden. It started in one border and has spread everywhere, to all pots, cuttings, seedlings, borders...everywhere!
We have tried to combat this with giving a good spray every few days of soapy water, and it has worked very effectively. However, all we need is a busy week in which we dont spray as regularly and the green fly take over again and it is as if we have never touched them.
What i want to know is, are they causing any real problems to my plants and gardens? should we continue to try and stay on top of the spraying or is there another more effective way to get rid (considering that all of our neighbours also have this problem and none of them are spraying and tackling...)? I have been hoping that once it gets really cold in winter (which it certainly will do where we are in Scotland), are they likely to die back then and we can start afresh next spring - or are they here to stay and we are fighting a losing battle?
(Also, the only edibles I am growing at the moment are spinach, rocket and strawberries but hope to put in a veggie patch next year).
ANY advice or words of wisdom are MUCH appreciated!
Posts
Greenfly are a native here in the uk and every garden, every year has plants with greenfly in the warmer months.
Ladybirds and their larvae, wasps, hover flies and other insects will eat the greenfly so the best method is to plant plants that attract the predators.
As to whether they will cause your plants problems depends on what plants they are feasting on and how many there are.
You can buy a systemic insecticide (which basically poisons the sap of the plant) which will kill the greenfly and give protection for several weeks after.
PS - never use a systemic insecticide on anything you're going to eat
Last edited: 15 June 2017 12:40:05
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Hang lots of bird feeders near to your plants ... the blue tit families will find the aphids as they queue up for the feeders.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Don't forget the ongoing effect of systemic insecticides, Aphids eat poison, ladybirds and blue tits eat aphids
In the sticks near Peterborough
Systemic insecticides will also poison bees and other insects that visit the flowers of sprayed plants e.g. see the extensive media coverage of neonicotinoids.
I find aphids mostly a problem on young plants in the greenhouse - larger plants in the garden should be able to cope, and given time the number of ladybirds and other predators should increase and keep them under control.
Blast them with a fine hose spray or squash them with your fingers/gloves. The balance of predators should be established soon, more ladybirds & hoverflies are appearing for me.