From: T@invalid.invalid   
      
   On 6/21/24 21:01, songbird wrote:   
   > T wrote:   
   >> On 6/21/24 12:23, Wilson wrote:   
   >>> I know this isn't an actual garden question, but I have some beautiful   
   >>> Coral Honeysuckle that for the past 3 years has been getting ravaged   
   >>> with aphids. Just as soon as the blossoms come on, these critters kill   
   >>> them.   
   >>>   
   >>> I've tried making some spray with rhubarb leaves, but that didn't work -   
   >>> certainly not fast enough.   
   >>>   
   >>> Any organic suggestions I can use?   
   >>   
   >> Hi Wilson,   
   >>   
   >> Yes there are.   
   >>   
   >> Two things you have to do.   
   >>   
   >> 1) power wash them with soapy (detergent) water.  Seventh   
   >> Generation Dish liquid Free and Clear is what I use.  It   
   >> is completely biodegradable.  Get one of those hose   
   >> attachment bottles for spraying things on your lawn.   
   >>   
   >> 2) kill off the ants that are farming the aphids.   
   >> Mix borax washing soda (Walmart) with hot water   
   >> and really cheap honey (Walmart).  Make a gooey   
   >> paste.  Apply all over the place.   
   >>   
   >> Optional, after you kill off the ants: unleash lady bugs   
   >> on them.  Apply in the cool of the morning so they won't   
   >> just fly off.  But the ants must go first as they will kill   
   >> the lady bugs to protect the aphids.   
   >   
   >    it is very hard to kill off all ants but it may   
   > help to knock them back temporarily.  personally, i   
   > don't try to control ants here unless they are trying   
   > to set up a new home in the house.   
   >   
   >    the more inert dilute soap spray may do the job   
   > for both the ants and the aphids at least to knock   
   > them back and then the ladybugs will help keep things   
   > under control.   
   >   
   >    it will help a lot to learn how to keep lady bugs   
   > around and to encourage other lady bug predators.  i   
   > don't see aphids here often.   
   >   
   >   
   >    songbird   
      
      
   Hi Songbird,   
      
   The soapy water plus the pressure spray will knock   
   them off the plant.  Because they will have lost   
   their wings, it is very hard for them to crawl   
   back up.  And the soapy water will drown them.   
      
   Ants that are farming aphids will attack and kill   
   lady bugs.  If you put your hand on a stem full   
   of aphids that are ant farmed, the ants will   
   immediately bit you.   
      
   My #2 above works by the workers taking the borax   
   back to and feeding the queen it.  It is non-toxic   
   (it destroys their digestive system) so they can't   
   get immune to it.  Think Roach Proof for ants.   
      
   Since it is slow, it will take a few days, but it will   
   wipe out the entire colony.  But other neighboring   
   ants will eventually move in.  Take a while though.   
      
   The ants have to go before lady bugs will work.   
      
   Death to aphids!   
   Death to squash bugs!   
   Death to earwigs!   
      
   -T   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)