From: nowhere@nearyou.com   
      
   On 6/23/2024 12:04 PM, Snag wrote:   
   > On 6/23/2024 10:47 AM, Wilson wrote:   
   >> On 6/23/2024 11:22 AM, Wilson wrote:   
   >>> On 6/21/2024 5:16 PM, 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.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Death to aphids!   
   >>>> Death to squash bugs!   
   >>>> Death to earwigs!   
   >>>>   
   >>>> -T   
   >>> Thanks, T. I'll have to try the power wash thing with the hose. I have   
   >>> used Safer's Soap without any real success.   
   >>>   
   >>> There are some ants and I've heard of them farming aphids, but not really   
   >>> noticing them getting together. I have a hummingbird feeder up that   
   >>> attracts some ants. I use Boraxo & sugar and it does work. Mentioned   
   >>> honey to the wife and she immediately thought of some old corn syrup   
   >>> which we think would work.   
   >>>   
   >>> I'm thinking that after I power spray the plant, I'll put some Boraxo &   
   >>> sugar underneath the plant. I'm going to check on it's effect on plants   
   >>> first, but I've seen not die-off where I've put it along the boarder of   
   >>> my garage for wood ants.   
   >>>   
   >>> Funny thing with lady bugs, we were inundated with them all winter long   
   >>> in our house. Mostly those Japanese ones with the 'M' or 'W' on their   
   >>> heads, depending on which way your looking. Now, very few if any around.   
   >>>   
   >>> The neighbors have some of the same honeysuckle, but no aphids that I can   
   >>> see.   
   >>>   
   >>> Thanks!   
   >> I mentioned BORAXO, but really meant BORAX.   
   >   
   >    Add some diatomaceous earth to the mix , it abrades the waxy coating on   
   > hard shell insects and they dry to death .   
   I do have some diatomaceous earth on hand. My experience with it is that   
   it's hard to tell if it's doing it's job. Sometimes, I grow impatient with   
   'organic' solutions. sigh   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)