Aphids are every gardener’s worst nightmare (Or is it just me?). I’ve lost many a potato crops to these pests and I decided that enough was enough; it was time to do something about them! Of course, I pride myself on keeping my garden as organic and pest-free as possible, so I needed to find an all-natural method. Fortunately, I found a few natural ways to kill aphids! Keep reading for a few of them below:
Organically Speaking: Natural Ways To Kill Aphids
Soap and Water
You read that right! Plain ole’ soap and water will work wonders to aid you in your quest to rid your garden of aphids! Simply dilute a few tablespoons of dish soap into a large container of lukewarm water and mix well. Spray the mixture directly onto the areas of your plants that are affected. The dish soap will eat away at the protective coating on the bodies of the aphids causing them to die of dehydration. All without damaging the stems of your plant! Use whatever kind of dish soap you are comfortable spraying around your garden.
**Warning: Dish soap will kill other insects as well; use at your own discretion.
Neem Oil
Neem Oil can be used in your garden to treat and prevent a wild variety of harmful insects like aphids, ants, cabbage worms, and leafminers. Use it like you would the dish soap, diluting it into a container of warm water before applying directly to plant leaves. Make sure the kind of Neem Oil you apply is a trusted variety. Neem Oil should only be all-natural and free of harmful chemicals. Check your label before applying it to your plants!
Bug Eating Birds
Birds such as wrens and chickadees love to munch on a crunchy aphid and will gladly do all of your pest control dirty work. Unfortunately, these all-natural aphid killers can be a little hard for gardeners to get their hands on (figuratively speaking). I don’t think that anyone should actually put their hands on anything…. Attract these pest-control powerhouses to your garden by offering them free housing by way of dense foliage and tons of free food!
Essential Oils
Just like you used Neem Oil and dish soap, you can use a blend of essential oils to get rid of aphids while keeping your treasured plants safe and healthy. To get rid of aphids mix together 5 drops of thyme, peppermint, clove, and rosemary essential oils into a bottle full of water. Mix thoroughly and spray it directly to the affected areas. This mixture will kill ANY bug you use it with, so use with caution!
Plant Repellents
Believe it or not, the things you plant around your garden can actually work to repel Aphids in the first place! When planning your garden, remember to plant a few onions or garlic around the edges of your garden. Aphids hate the smell of these plants and likely won’t even bother your potatoes if they’re in the area!
Ladybugs
Everybody knows that these little “ladies” are quite manly when it comes to their appetite. Ladybugs feed on aphids so they make a huge difference when it comes to killing aphids. And, last but not least, they are so stinkin’ cute and good luck!
very helpful thank you for the suggestions. I know we use dish soap and water and spray on the box elder bugs.