Most of this article was posted originally in September 2018 but guess what! Aphids are here to stay. I’ve added some experience I’ve had recently with ladybugs.
In July 2020, I started using ladybugs on a regular basis to see how they would work out in controlling aphids. The first day, I sprayed the plants as instructed and released about 30 bugs on each tower. The following day I didn’t see any on the towers but as I continued releasing every evening, I began to find more were staying at least for a brief period. After I had used up 3 containers of the bugs, I began to find some on the produce I brought into the house.
Conclusion: ladybugs are really useful if you release a small number every evening. They are inexpensive enough and I plan to use them all summer for aphid control. I have only had to spray a few plants that were especially attractive to aphids like celery.
Aphids seem to love bok choy, chard, kale and string beans the most but I’ve seen them on other veggies that are growing close to chard. This spring I started hosing down the tower once a week paying special attention to the plants mentioned above. In addition to using ladybugs, it’s helping keep the aphid population in control.
For a heavier infestation, treat with insecticidal soap and use as a prevention tool. In the very warm weather it’s essential to spray early in the day but in fall, almost anytime works. I use a quart spray container, ½ teaspoon of neem oil, ½ teaspoon of Castile liquid soap and warm water. In early spring, I’ve also used essential oils (peppermint, thyme and clove) as a preventive. Shake the bottle frequently as you spray it on the veggies. You have to use it up within a few hours as it deteriorates quickly.
In the summer I try to remember to apply it once a week but in cooler weather every other week seems to work.
Neem oil is a vegetable oil that is pressed from the fruit and seeds of a tree that originated in India and now grows in many other areas in the tropics. It is used for organic farming, medicines and also in cosmetics and other products.
Neem oil actually messes with the brains and bodies of insects by entering the system and blocking hormones from working properly. Insects can forget to eat, to mate, or they can stop laying eggs. If eggs are produced they don’t hatch, or the larvae don’t develop and the life cycle is interrupted.
If you are interested in saving money on produce and creating a sustainable garden, and giving your family the cleanest, best tasting produce, consider growing tower garden veggies. Because there is no soil and no digging, no weeding and no bending, growing is now easier that it ever was in a traditional dirt garden. Check the links below and email your questions.
Submitted by Gwen O’Neill.
Gwen O’Neill has been a gardener for over 40 years and has always been a passionate cook. Her own health challenges led her to experiencing a variety of healing modalities. After finding that her health improved with eating more whole food and improving her nutrition using a real, whole food based supplement called Juice Plus, she committed to sharing this experience with others. The Tower Garden by Juice Plus makes it easy to grow produce right outside your kitchen door.
Juice Plus real food!
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