Control aphids on herbs

Plants are generally not safe from aphids and other lice species. It is even more unpleasant with herbs, as they are used for consumption. Who would want to eat undiscovered lice? But the damage that lice inflict on herbs is not insignificant either. Untreated herb plants will die sooner or later. Once one is infested with the pests, they quickly spread to neighboring plants and herbs, destroying entire beds. Acting quickly will prevent this. You can find out what you can do if you have an aphid infestation below.

louse detection

In order to be able to react correctly to a pest infestation, you must first know which pests are involved. In the case of lice or aphids, you can recognize them by their circumference of around two millimeters. Aphids are black or light green in color, other aphid species are also white or yellowish.

All types of lice usually leave a sticky film on the leaves, stems and sometimes flower buds. This is the honeydew expert speaking.

On the herbs, a louse pest infestation can first be recognized by the leaves turning brown before they stun. Buds do not open and fall off closed.

Chemical control

When it comes to pest control of edible foods like herbs, chemical insecticide treatment is not the best choice. This would not only make the herbs inedible for a long time, but mostly chemical pesticides also contain substances harmful to humans.
Depending on the ingredients, an asthma attack can be triggered.

Typical side effects are headaches, skin irritations and nausea. So-called pyrethroids are even believed to cause disruption of the hormone system, which could lead to infertility in men. For these reasons, you should generally avoid chemical insecticides when fighting lice on your herbs and instead use natural products and/or home remedies that have already proven to be just as effective in practice have.

Poisonless fight

For your health, for the environment and for the herbs themselves, is non-toxic and natural Method of pest control of aphids and all other types of lice, the most recommended.

First aid

As soon as a lice infestation has been identified, you must act quickly. Here it is advisable to subject the herbs to a shower immediately. The water pressure should be relatively high, but still low enough so that you do not damage any branches or the entire plant.

The water jet already removes many of the unwelcome pests that suck plant sap. In this way, you can use first aid to avert greater damage.

crop protection preparations

The specialist garden trade offers you a wide range of non-toxic organic plant protection products, which also have a special effect against aphids and the like.

With plant protection products, you also have the advantage that they usually contain other ingredients that affect herbal plants also help with nutrients and minerals for more strength and energy to survive existing damage well and recovery quickly to advance Such organic products are harmless to human health and naturally degrade, which protects the environment.

beneficials

Beneficial insects are other insects that eat lice as food. These include, for example, ladybugs and their larvae, which are particularly voracious. Depending on the number of larvae, they eat between 400 and 800 aphids per day.

Lacewings are also very hungry for lice, with a daily requirement of between 200 and 500 aphids or scale insects. If there are no beneficial insects in your area, they can be purchased from most ecological suppliers. All you then have to do is set them out between the herbs.

home remedies

Before each control method and after a shower, further aphids are to be removed by hand. To do this, simply strip them off by pulling affected parts of the plant between your thumb and forefinger. To be on the safe side, you should also use one of the following treatment options, which can be easily prepared as simple home remedies.

nettles

• Soak about a kilogram of nettles in ten liters of water
• Let a day "go by".
• Sift out nettles
• Fill a spray bottle with nettle water and spray the herbs with it until dripping wet
• Alternatively, wipe off parts of the plant with the nettle water
• Repeat every other day for about a week
• Advantage: Nettles do not affect the edibility of herbs

soft soap

• Dissolve a tablespoon of soft soap in a liter of water
• Only potash soap without additives may be used
• Alcohol would increase the effect, but is unsuitable for use with herbs
• Spray the herbal plant with the lye or rub off parts of the plant individually
• Duration of treatment: every other day for at least a week
• Note: Wash herbs thoroughly after this treatment before use

rapeseed oil

• Mix rapeseed oil with water in a ratio of 3:7 - 30 milliliters of rapeseed oil to 70 milliliters of water
• Only use a plant sprayer
• Fill in the rapeseed oil mixture and spray specifically on the affected parts of the plant
• Canola oil clogs the lice's respiratory organs and causes them to die
• Only use freshly prepared
• If the infestation is severe, repeat after four or five days
• After successful treatment, rinse off the herbs with water pressure
• If necessary, wipe the leaves and stems with kitchen paper to remove residue

alternative remedy

Wood ash and rock dust are another effective way to combat aphids on herbs. Simply dust this over the entire herb plant. Wood ash and rock dust are inhaled by the lice and then become stuck in the respiratory organs like a blockage. The pests suffocate.

prevention

One of the most sensible measures against aphids and their conspecifics is prevention, so that they do not attack the herbs in the first place.

fertilizer

Especially fertilizer for herbs, often contains nitrogen. This supports the growth of the leaf mass. Too much nitrogenous fertilizer or too highly concentrated types of fertilizer ensure that aphids are attracted. Succulent leaves are a delicacy for them. As a nitrogen fertilizer, dose as minimally as possible and apply it as infrequently as possible.

vegetables/herbs

Very effective is shown in the prevention of aphids, the use of onion peel, garlic or other herbs.

The appropriate types of herbs are simply placed around the plant or incorporated into the soil. Their scent drives away the lice. Suitable types of herbs are:

• sage
• lavender
• savory
• thyme

With garlic, use the cloves as a preventive measure by sticking them vertically in the plant pot. The tip should protrude a few millimeters above the surface of the earth. A garlic smell that spreads throughout the room is not to be expected. But the lice perceive this from a distance and then change their direction.

A broth made from garlic or onion skins is suitable as a preventive measure against aphids. To do this, add about two finely chopped garlic cloves or 200 grams of onion skins to about one liter of water and boil them. Then let the brew steep for about an hour. Then sift out the garlic or onion skins and allow the brew to cool. Then add this to the irrigation water and water your herbs with it. You should use the brew once a month.

Conclusion

Aphids and their conspecifics can cause immense damage to your herbs in the pot in the kitchen as well as in your herb bed. The chemical mace works quickly, but usually has unpleasant side effects for plants, humans and animals. Home remedies and biologically natural preparations are more suitable for combating aphids. The examples and methods mentioned are among the most effective and can be used by anyone without any problems.

Learn more about aphids