Aphids on lupins

[annie8]

My lovely lupins are covered in aphids. I gave them a good spray with soapy water but had to remove a number of the flower stalks as they were literally crawling with them and had started drooping. Gutted.

[Nicos]

I get them every year on one particular lupin plant (has red flowers if that has any significance?)

got to catch them early, but it only slows them down....

frustrating isnt it - especially as I don't want to use pesticides.

I'd be interested to know if anyone has a better system than soap sprays or rubbing off by hand....?

[annie8]

Went to the garden centre today and picked up some bug spray. I don’t like to use chemicals but the soapy water isn’t working that well and apparently ladybirds don’t eat lupin aphids.

[Jungle Jane]

There’s warnings that pollinating insects can be harmed if you spray a bug spray whilst the plants are in flower,it affects the pollen,they find traces in honey,wait if you can. Do these aphids over winter or lay eggs in the stems,can they be cut down & then regrow so they can’t do that?

[roitelet]

Lupin Aphids are very difficult to get rid of. Whatever you choose to spray with you will need to be persistent and pay attention to the base of the plant as they lurk there not just on the upper parts. Best of luck with them I have never managed to get rid of them and they invariably kill the plant.

[annie8]

Didn’t spray the flowers that were least affected and cut the badly affected ones down. Seems to have done the trick for now at least. Also gave the plant a good blast with the hose last night. Will keep checking.

[Jungle Jane]

If they’re wingless,do you think they’re overwintering as eggs in the plant,do you cut them down in the autumn,I wonder if it might help a bit I don’t know. Hopefully yours will send up new flowers there’s still time,do you think if they were sprayed with garlic in the water they’d taste different & maybe unacceptable to them?

[Babru]

I last grew a lupin years ago. The lupin aphids were so horrible I gave up. I usually squash the blighters by hand, but they are so large it's horrible.

My friend has a lovely lupin in flower right now, so I've been getting lupin-envy. Not sure I can face grape sized aphids again though.

[Nicos]

Just found this.....

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=653

I thought I'd not recall seeing them that size when I was a nipper!

[annie8]

Yup that’s the wee guys. Quite horrid. Bought the lupins last year and didn’t notice any aphids. Will see about cutting it back hard later this year and will be watching it like a hawk next year. I took seeds from the plant last year and have managed to grow a few seedlings from it so I could replace if need be. Such a shame they are one of favourite plants in the garden.

[annie8]

So the bug spray was really successful in killing the aphids. Almost all the flowers had to be cut off and they were covered and the flowers that were still at the early development stage all died. However I thought at least the plant survived and was looking healthy enough. Just looking tonight and it looks like it might be growing some new tiny flower spikes. Is that possible? thought I was done for the year but would be so excited to get a few more flowers!

[Nicos]

Glad you got ontop of the problem...sometimes going through the non organic route is the last route you want to take but necessary.

Funnily enough my one plant normally affected is absolutely fine this year.No idea why,

I find that if you cut off the first flower spikes instead of leaving them to go to seed then you get a few new flower spikes developing...which, in effect, is exactly what you have done!
How about a piccie once it's in flower again?

[annie8]

Definitely will post a pic if i get some flowers.