OMG Seriously

[Lisasbolt]

My mum has a tiny conservatory which i have taken over for all my seedlings, i just have gone up there to water and check on everything and i have got a massive infestation of aphids. EVERYWHERE, friends for the spider mites i guess and they can party it up in the broken PT :roll eyes: maybe i should give up this gardening thing this year........... oh look some seeds.............................

[vixylix]

oh no! Is it worth spraying with something or is it a give it up and start again kind of infestation?

[Lisasbolt]

No, i have hopefully got it in time, i have spent a long time squishing them and gosh it felt good, some had turned and had little wings so time will tell i guess. I hope everything will be ok, never had anything on seedlings before, i was wondering what the little white bites in the soil was, silly me......the eggs!!

[Scarlet]

Can you wash the plants Lisa? I fear they may be back. It may be worth cutting your losses and starting fresh.

[Lisasbolt]

Do you think, i have no where to put the new ones till mid late march, and then it starts to get too warm.......i can't put them in the infected area, i guess i have nothing to loose keeping the old ones going, if they die i guess they die i removed the worse and brought them home and have got them in a cold garage with soapy liquid washed over them, i have planned to go every other day to keep on top. heater is on for the next couple of days but then will be turned off so might help, stupid year!!

I do not think i can wash too much as they have not long had their true leaves some maybe have got their next but only just.

Thanks

[Scarlet]

It's very difficult to kill all of them, so with an infestation this early you may well have a worse problem later on. If your seedlings haveonly just got their true leaves you won't be wasting much if any time if you start again. I'm happy to be wrong - wait for some other opinions before doing anything - but you do have the benefit of a long growing season and a two/three week delay isn't much.

[Bigmallly]

Is it not possible to put them outside during the day for predators to feast on them?........Assuming their are any ladybirds & the likes around.

[Lisasbolt]

I have put them outside this morning. I will try as if I sow more think they will just get attacked also. If the worse happens I will sow more mid March in the new GH, won't be any in there, I hope not anyway

[big pete]

Peter m

My mum has a tiny conservatory which i have taken over for all my seedlings, i just have gone up there to water and check on everything and i have got a massive infestation of aphids. EVERYWHERE, friends for the spider mites i guess and they can party it up in the broken PT :roll eyes: maybe i should give up this gardening thing this year........... oh look some seeds.............................

I have used a home made Garlic spray ( Search the web for recipe's ) with great results but it only deters and does not kill the little blighters. There is also a smoker on the market which kills the insects but does not hurt your plants. What about buying in some natural predaters.

[jackarmy]

How are they doing Lisa ?

Im getting the odd few on my chilli seedlings and am keeping on top at the moment by squishing but they keep returning, but im going to try the garlic spray.

One question tho, is it as effective without the liquid soap ? , dont know why just dont fancy spraying my babies with fairy Lipsquid.

[lolie]

How are they doing Lisa ?

Im getting the odd few on my chilli seedlings and am keeping on top at the moment by squishing but they keep returning, but im going to try the garlic spray.

One question tho, is it as effective without the liquid soap ? , dont know why just dont fancy spraying my babies with fairy Lipsquid.

The with-holding period for white oil is only one day.

You do need the detergent to help disperse the oil, but you can use castille soap or gardening soap (there is such a thing) if you don't want to use dishwashing liquid.

If you're making your own, make sure you dilute it before use. The recipes are usually for a concentrate which needs further dilution before use. You only use a tablespoon of the concentrate per litre of water so the amount of detergent in the diluted mix is tiny.

I find garlic attracts aphids like nothing else, so I don't use garlic in my spray.

Be really careful of temperature when using oil-based sprays. I have aphids for the first time this summer and it's a choice between letting the aphids kill my zucchini or using white oil in the relentless heat (you're not supposed to use it in hot weather but the hot weather isn't going to break for another week).

If it's hot enough for your chillies to thrive, you need to be careful with the pest control choices (older plants are a lot tougher, of course).