Too many aphids on a young clematis

Daryl2

I have a young clematis, only in the ground since last autumn and has just about reached 6' high. I've nipped out a few ends to help it bush out and it's looking good but all the new growth has a thick covering of black aphids being carefully tended by ants. I don't usually bother too much about bugs unless they are really threatening the health of a plant but I'm beginning to wonder if this invasion is going to weaken the plant. Each stem has about 8"-10" of aphid farm on the ends. I did try brushing them off but it is difficult to get them all off and I suspect the ants are picking them up off the ground and putting them back!!

  What would you do? Let nature takes it's course? Snip off all the infested growing tips? Resort to chemicals (I'd rather not)? Blast them with soapy water? I've not seen any ladybirds here for a few months so that won't work.    I'd be interested to know the consensus on this and how successful people have been if they have tried using any of the non chemical approaches.  Does soapy water count as a chemical approach?    What do you all think I should do? 

Dovefromabove

I'd just turn the hose on them and wash them off

Daryl2

 I did try that but they were back in no time. I think it's because they are lurking on the shady side of the stems that the hose spray didn't reach. 

Dovefromabove

Then I'd just keep doing it repeatedly and more thoroughly - no way would I use chemicals - in the nearly four years we've been here and not used chemicals we're getting less and less of a problem with aphids because of the insects and birds that live here and deal with them for us. 

Even soapy water will not be good for ladybird larvae etc

Daryl2

OK - I'll get my super soaker ready then. They will be well and truly zapped! 

How harmful are they to a young plant? 

Dovefromabove

Well, they might distort and spoil the growing tip, but that would lead to the plant growing sideshoots - remember that aphids are part of nature and wild plants (even wild clematis) grows without us doing anything about the aphids. 

The birds, wasps and ladybirds will see to the aphids for us if we let them.

I remove bad infestations with my fingers or the hosepipe, but I make sure I leave some for the predators or they'll go elsewhere.

Daryl2

Thanks Dove, that's reassuring. As I said in my first post, I don't generally worry about bugs, they are part of nature's cycle, but I was concerned about having so many on a young plant. I'll stick with just reducing the numbers from time to time and hope that the blue tits notice them soon. They are busy with the black fly on my apple and cherry at the moment though 

Dovefromabove

Wasps will be around soon - they eat aphids too