3x ecological control of aphids

Aphids are rapidly taking over your entire (vegetable) garden, which is something you obviously don't want! These tiny insects don't seem to do much harm, but they poke holes in the leaves to suck up nutrients from your plants. Resulting in yellow-coloured & wilted (vegetable garden) plants.... Aphids reproduce quickly and easily. In spring, some are even born with wings. These fly from plant to plant, causing the most damage in your garden!

1. Natural enemies

• We prefer to control the small undercrowd in an ecological way by using their natural enemies (such as ladybirds). These are already present in your garden but can be moved closer to the vegetable plants. They will eat the aphids with relish, and also reproduce well if you are lucky! This way, the next generation of larvae can get to work as well. The larvae can eat up to 100 aphids a day as they still have to grow and develop. These larvae are delivered when they are still very small and it takes another two to three weeks before they pupate. During the pupation process they obviously cannot eat aphids but when they reappear as ladybirds, they can continue their mission and reproduce! The larvae come in a box, and are packed between strips of paper. It is best to place them directly on the aphid hot spot. For the vegetable garden you need about 3 to 5 larvae per plant.
  
  
• Not only ladybirds like a few aphids, the larvae of lacewings can also do with them. You can buy these larvae alive and scatter them directly on the leaves with a little shovel. They will not only get rid of the aphids but also of all kinds of other lice (such as mealybugs, blood lice, spider mites, thrips...)
  
• Birds will also pick up the aphids and feed them to their young. So make your garden attractive for them by placing a nesting box and a feeder.

Tip from Marcel

The nasturtium is also a real winner when it comes to attracting aphids.

They will then leave your other plants alone.

2. Brew it!

• Onions and garlic are often used as seasoning in the kitchen but are absolutely not liked by aphids. You can make a mixture of these yourself and spray it on the plants. To make it even more effective, you can add some rhubarb leaves. Making this brew is not very different from the 'witches' mixture' brewing we probably all did as children. You put a few whole bulbs of garlic and onions, and a few leaves of rhubarb under water. Stir well, and let it stand for a day. Then you can 'fish' out the aromatics from the mixture, and dilute it (about 1 part brew to 10 parts water).
  
  
• Nettle vinegar is also often used in the fight against aphids. You can make it easily by putting a few hands of nettles under boiling water. Leave for 24 hours, and sieve the mixture. Then dilute the mixture again and it is ready for use!
  
  Attention: Always test these home-made mixtures on 1 leaf of the plant first! Do you see no damage to the plant after two days? Then you can start spraying them completely until the aphids have disappeared.

3. Ecological insecticide

Can the above tips not save your garden anymore? Then you can still use an ecological insecticide such as Bio-Pyretrex or Ecokuur leaf insects.

• Bio-pyretrex is a spray based on pyrethrins, these substances come from a Chrysanthemum species. It is a contact agent which ensures that the aphids die immediately when they come into contact with the product. We recommend that you treat the plants in the evening. After two days you can already start eating the crops again.
  
• Ecokuur leaf insect concentrate is a concentrate based on all kinds of herbal extracts. It gives the plants a nasty taste so that the aphids are no longer eager to eat it. You must dilute this product before use (10ml concentrate on 5L water).

Any more tips on how to fight aphids? 👇