aphids on my cherry trees

wetryharder · May 2009

I have aphids and I've tried to use the whole soapy water solution trick in efforts to stem their proliferation to no avail. I'd prefer to do something organic but have entertained the thought of *gasp* pesticides! Has anyone here dealt successfully with this issue? if so, please enlighten me.

MOD · May 2009

I have had Aphids on rose bushes, but didn't know they were attracted to cherry trees. Outside of a daily soapy washe-- maybe buying some ladybugs. There favorite food is aphids!

but if it's a horrendous infestation, then maybe pesticide is the way to go?

wetryharder · May 2009

*sigh*....no, not horrendous but my cherry trees are babies (1.5yrs old) and I'm concerned. Do you think the pesticides would kill a tree this young? Plus....should I have concerns about my future cherries?

asil · May 2009

Why don't you try contacting the Gardener's Resource Center at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden?
http://www.bbg.org/lib/grc.html

There are also lots of books on natural pest control for organic gardening. Maybe the Bklyn public library will have some. Try searching for subjects such as Organic gardening, Natural pesticides, Garden pests -- Biological control.

sir_eccles · May 2009

Dish soap always used to work for me. Make a stronger solution and keep spraying, going leaf to leaf really drenching both sides.

wetryharder · May 2009

...oh yeah! ...never occurred to me to contact the bbg....or the library for resources, thanks Asil.

Ladybugs are 'relatively' inexpensive....but wouldn't they fly away? I worry about squirting them with soda like I've read elsewhere......

...and now that I think about it, my neighbor has rose bushes....probably the source of my infestation. Do y'all think my neighbor would find it offensive for me to spray her rose bush? It's about 15 feet away....

toadette · May 2009

Give this stuff a try, it worked really well for me. http://www.planetnatural.com/site/insecticidal-soap.html

I'd ask the neighbor if it is cool to spray the bush. If she has aphids on it, too, she'd probably be happy you were willing to help her out. If she says no...spray under the cover of night!

sweet tea · May 2009

if there are really that many aphids in the immediate area, the ladybugs likely won't stray far.

my garden book says soap spray is the best (you can use "dormant oil" when the tree is dormant, but that's not until winter), but notes that home mixtures can burn the leaves and that it's worth it to buy it special.

not sure if they're the same kind of aphids, but you could also consider planting mint as a trap crop. aphids LOVE mint, and mint is too hardy to care.

aphids on my cherry trees

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