Aphids on my wineberries? (and what to do if so?)

[Russel Sprout]

Hi all

I noticed that one of my wineberry plants has some leaves that are turning black... On closer inspection, there are some small green insects on the underside of these leaves. A quick google has got me to thinking that they are likely aphids.







Can anyone confirm whether they are definitely aphids? And if they are, what can be done - organically speaking ? I have removed the "infected" leaves, but this is the first encounter I have had with aphids (if that's what they are), so I'm not sure if it is inevitable from here whether they'll soon take over the whole plant?

Many thanks

Max

[DannyK]

Greenfly. The white bits are dead ones.

Don't do organic but don't normally spray outside either. With a bit of luck predators will get them. If they get too much try hosing off.

[Martin H]

Hi Max!

They do look like aphids ... but I don't think they are the cause of the leaf going black. I suspect that the blackness is damage from cold winds or frost; the young growth looks healthy so I wouldn't worry about it.

For the aphids, I usually just wait for the predators to find them and clear them away. Or look out for some ladybirds that I can gently move onto the plant. But you could try squishing them, or spraying them with water with a couple of drops of washing up liquid in. Or you could poison them with some nasty chemical from the garden centre I suppose...

[MarkPelican]

Agree with Martin. The Greenfly are not the cause of the leaves going black, I would also say that its cold damage.

Ladybirds are the best predators (and wasps). The ladybird larvae have just multiplied in my polytunnel and are chomping their way through the greenfly.

[fishpond]

Until the Ladybirds turn up, squash 'em or use a hosepipe on them.

[Russel Sprout]

OK, thanks for all the info and the help. If I use a hose could it end up damaging the plant (snapping stems, etc) or are they quite tough when it comes to that kind of thing?

Cheers

[Jungle Jane]

I use a hand water sprayer on its hardest setting to shoot the aphids off or just squash by hand,they don't like the smell of garlic if you infuse a clove in the water for a bit before you spray & I use a dot of hand soap in the water to help suffocate them,I feel mean saying that but there are too many of them,the odd twenty are ok but when there's a hundred on a leaf it's not good for the tree.

[Russel Sprout]

Thanks Jane. I like that you feel bad/mean for suffocating the critters

So, if my photos are of the worst infected leaves, would you say I am ok to just leave them alone? I checked again yesterday and many leaves seem to be aphid free. The ones which do have them only seem to have the odd few. In those kinds of quantities are they unlikely to do much harm?

And do they grow in numbers rapidly? If so, I guess trying to keep on top of them at this stage would be a good idea...

[Martin H]

And do they grow in numbers rapidly? If so, I guess trying to keep on top of them at this stage would be a good idea...

Yes and yes. They grow in numbers phenomenally quickly. Not only can they give birth to clones of themselves, they can have babies that are already pregnant with clones of themselves. It's a good job they are tiny and not the same size as us...

[Russel Sprout]

Thanks Martin

It's a good job they are tiny and not the same size as us...

Ha ha - yes, although they're probably, on the whole, a lot nicer than a fair few of us humans!

[Losos]

Yes and yes. They grow in numbers phenomenally quickly.

Yes, that has been my experience as well. Earlier this month I had a few of them on two of my blackcurrant bushes. I was a tad late on getting round to sorting them and suddenly they were all over the bushes. I used the old diluted Fairy liquid method which I like because it's not only organic but since you have hold the leaf up (In order to spray the under side) any spray on your fingers / hand can be easily washed off and any which lands on the fruit likewise. I always wash our fruit anyway.

[Russel Sprout]

a lot nicer than a fair few of us humans!

Excluding present company of course (I should have added!)