The Rusted Garden Journal

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Identifying Aphids on Tomato Plants and Using Soapy Spray

Identifying Aphids on Tomato Plants and Using Soapy Spray

Aphids attack and infest many plants including your garden vegetables. They do like tomatoes with new growth. They suck the sap from them. They are soft bodied insects that can easily be managed. You can smash them, though messy. Squirt them off with a hose. And use a soapy spray on them. Soapy spray works for most soft bodied insects. I use about a teaspoon of dish soap per quart or a tablespoon per gallon.

I say 'about' because I now just eyeball a squirt or so into the container I am using. It is worth doing some research to find the mix ratio that best works for you. And... always test a new a spray by spraying a few leaves and waiting 24-48 hours before spraying all your plants. And always start with less... that is 1 tablespoon instead of 2. More is not always better. It is also best not to spray during direct full sun times. The morning or evening works best and the bees aren't around.

The video shows you how to identify their white molted skin and eventually the aphids themselves. They are easy to identify when you know what to look for and where to look. I show you the basic spraying method which is... cover the whole plant topside and bottom side. You probably need 2 applications to cure an infestation.




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