Balck Fly Invasion on EVRYTHING!

[Grovsey]

I am at a loss what to do about it?

I squish every day. Spray with soapy water. I have used DE to stop the ants.

I have them on:

Broad beans
Potatoes
Apple trees
Runner Beans
French beans...

Any ideas?

[gojiberry]

Are you opposed to using derris, it is organic. Just a thought.

Ian

[Macka]

Liquid derris is great, i bought few bottles, because apparetly we will not be able to buy for long.

[supergrass]

Not much else you can do really washingup liquid is the best method I know

Max.

[HeyWayne]

I think you can buy ladybirds mail order. Making them stay is another matter. I created a few "bug houses" along with the one I won for my MOM-ship and I've spotted quite a few ladybirds on my plot recently. Spotted quite a few blackfly too, but hey war is rarely one sided.

[Mike and Louise]

We use a organic all round bug spray that contains, amongst other things, derris.

It kills black fly, green fly, white fly, aphids and also attacks some moulds.

It's called Bug Clear Plus.

[Cutecumber]

Organic remedies work but just as with their counterparts, you need to be persistent.

You can't hope to spray and eradicate the problem in one go.

Don't give up - keep squishing and spray as often as directed.

[Two_Sheds]

I am now on top of my blackfly (after a panic last weekend, when they had infested everything (beans, chard, nasturtium, broadies, lettuce)... and came back after I spent an hour squishing them all)
Today they are at manageable proportions - I reckon the ladybird larvae are finally doing their thing.

[HeyWayne]

I am now on top of my blackfly (after a panic last weekend, when they had infested everything (beans, chard, nasturtium, broadies, lettuce)... and came back after I spent an hour squishing them all)
Today they are at manageable proportions - I reckon the ladybird larvae are finally doing their thing.

Come on then lady, what did you do?

[Demeter]

I've been squishing mine almost daily (4-5 times a week or so) for weeks - the infestation hasn't really gone away, but it hasn't got worse either. A few of the blackfly have spread to the adjacent runner beans but mostly the infestation has confined itself to the broad beans. At first I sprayed with soapy water as well, which seemed to help, but a lot of hassle organising to take any up to the plot with a toddler under my feet so for the most part it's just been a thumb-and-fingers job. The plants are all surviving and producing, it's just a pain having to squish every day - I'm convinced that eventually the ladybirds or other aphid-eaters will turn up, though!

(And the ant numbers have gone down a lot since we semolina'd the beans - got to put some more down though as I think another lot of ants have found the beans and are taking advantage )

[lynda66]

I think you can buy ladybirds mail order. Making them stay is another matter. I created a few "bug houses" along with the one I won for my MOM-ship and I've spotted quite a few ladybirds on my plot recently. Spotted quite a few blackfly too, but hey war is rarely one sided.

Buy Adult Ladybirds and Lavae from Gardening Naturally buy ladybirds and houses :-D think i'll get me some of these, though i've only had a couple of greenfly on my rose bush, i'm sure i'll be inundated soon

[wellie]

It's very very rare for me to 'sit still', but given that Trousers does, I now occasionally do too.

It's amazing what you notice when you stop long enough and breath in?!

'Elderly Next Door' alerted me to the blackfly on collectively our Runner Beans about a week or two ago, and I'm really grateful. I was able to begin 'looking and squashing' then on a daily basis.

I know it sounds 'holy and positively poncy' but it really does pay dividends when you can inspect your crops regularly and deal with pest and disease problems 'as you notice them'. If you notice them AFTER that, you've missed a valued opportunity that was proverbially poking you in the eye, by which time, it may be too late to effectively deal with the situation.

People gardening next to you at home, or on your next door allotment are your best friends (sometimes!) so don't be scared of asking what's going on next door to you, because you can learn a lot, trust me! Being 'chatty' you can learn a tremendous amount. Or they might learn from you. Whichever way, if you and your neighbour have an affinity, blackfly, greenfly or nofly, each of you are helping each other out.

Without Elderly Next Door, I'd of missed the blackfly on by Runner Beans.....
Bless You Mr. Davis.........

[Alice]

Grovesy, sometimes you can just cut off the worst infested parts - you know where they are piled up thick - and burn them. That gets rid of hundreds at a time.

[Norm]

Sorry, but I don't believe in the stupidity of organic. Use chemicals which were designed to harm the destroying insects, not the plants. Use Derirs, or lose the crop.

[Two_Sheds]

Sorry, but I don't believe in the stupidity of organic. Use chemicals which were designed to harm the destroying insects, not the plants. Use Derirs, or lose the crop.

What's stupid about it? Crops were grown for 1000s of years before synthetic chemicals came along.
You may love your sprays, Norm, but a lot of us don't want, or need, to use them. I have never sprayed any of my crops, and always harvest more than we can eat.
I have a healthy insect population: I love sitting for a moment and watching the antics of all 'my' bees, hoverflies, ladybirds and birds amongst my veg and flowers. It is a complete experience for me. I don't see my allotment as just a place to dig, sow, hoe, spray and go.

BTW, if you use Derris, use it in the evening when the bees have gone to bed, or you will kill them.