# Getting rid of aphids **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 29, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976 "2005-09-29T03:12:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/1 "2005-09-29T03:12:52Z")
Awhile ago I was looking for some sweetgrass and finally found some at a nursery in a nearby town. It seems to be growing well so far, but today I noticed tiny black aphids sitting on some of the stems. At $5 a pot for this stuff, I don’t want it chewed to pieces. Is there a good way to get rid of aphids without having to amass a horde of ladybugs? ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/2 "2005-09-29T06:25:51Z")
If I recall my wife used a spray bottle filled with water and a touch of dish soap. You might want to try it on a few blades of grass first to make sure the plant doesn’t react oddly to the soap. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/3 "2005-09-29T06:27:37Z")
And… according to the Google advert below - “Liquid garlic sprayed on garden and farm plants keeps insects off - [garlicbarrier.com](http://garlicbarrier.com)” 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/4 "2005-09-29T07:45:14Z")
You could try [Geoff’s homemade aphid spray.](http://www.abc.net.au/centralvic/stories/s1455745.htm) Or [Kevin’s organic general purpose insecticide.](http://www.abc.net.au/centralvic/stories/s704734.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/5 "2005-09-29T15:18:33Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > If I recall my wife used a spray bottle filled with water and a touch of dish soap. > > You might want to try it on a few blades of grass first to make sure the plant doesn’t react oddly to the soap. I’ll think I’ll give this one a shot first and see how it works. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![clutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@clutter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clutter)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/6 "2005-09-29T22:10:54Z")
Or you could put one of [these](http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/d/d/ddrury/pixie.jpg.html) in your garden, if it doesn’t ruin your garden, it’ll claim war with the aphids. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/7 "2005-10-04T00:06:20Z")
The dish soap will work, or you could go to the nursery for specialized insecticidal soap. “Safer’s” is the best seller, AFAIK. If you have the patience, aphids are fragile enough that wiping them off with your finger will crush them, but that’s tedious and might hurt the plant. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/8 "2005-10-04T14:01:33Z")
For getting aphids off your marijuana plants, [Cecil recommends cigarette butts](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_023.html): > [@](#): > > No kidding. Drop two or three cigarette butts in a quart of warm water, let sit overnight, strain, and spray the plants completely. Repeat after six days. Supposedly the butts contain nicotine sulfate, which kills any bug–mite, aphid, you name it. Several of Cecil’s devoted readers swear by this method. ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/9 "2005-10-04T14:50:17Z")
> [@Max Torque](#): > > For getting aphids off your marijuana plants, [Cecil recommends cigarette butts](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_023.html): I’m not sure if you’re whooshing me here, but sweetgrass (hierochloe odorata) is not THAT grass. Anywho, I tried the dish soap, and it worked great! The next day I couldn’t see any aphids. The plant is none the worse for wear. Thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![Fridgemagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@Fridgemagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fridgemagnet)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/10 "2005-10-04T14:56:38Z")
At certain times of year my globe artichokes, roses and sunflowers are plagued by aphids. This year it’s been mostly blackfly. I’ve taken to a prophylactic spraying of neem oil solution. It doesn’t kill them, but it’s quite an effective contraceptive, and the smell discourages them. It’s an organic solution that actually works. There was an legendary advert that appeared in a British horticultural magazine: “Aphid killer, totally organic, 100% effective, only £5.” People that sent off for this would receive a little package in the post. It contained a tiny hammer, with the instructions “Hit him hard.” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/11 "2005-10-04T17:44:53Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > I’m not sure if you’re whooshing me here, but sweetgrass (hierochloe odorata) is not THAT grass. Oh, I know. heh. It’s just that the original article was about marijuana. I’m sure it’ll work on non-smokable plants as well. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/12 "2005-10-04T22:37:49Z")
I remember that my mother would go buy ladybugs to deal with any aphid problems she had. ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/13 "2005-11-03T06:51:29Z")
Still got aphids. The detergent seems to chase them off somewhere for a day or two, but then they’re back. I happened to collect a couple ladybugs who were feeding happily, then the cat ate them. :smack: I think I’m gonna have to shell out for some commercial aphid killer. BTW, **RetroVertigo** , you’re a Mr. Bungle fan too, eh? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/14 "2005-11-04T14:22:04Z")
Nicotine kills aphids, allright. But I don’t smoke. Where do I get cigarette butts ? I’d be embarrassed to pick up cigarette butts along sidwalks. :o ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/15 "2005-11-04T17:31:58Z")
> [@RetroVertigo](#): > > I remember that my mother would go buy ladybugs to deal with any aphid problems she had. Ditto. Just buy a bunch of ladybugs. You order them, and they come live in a little baggie. Let them go in the garden, and they do the job. Plus they are more pleasant than any other solution, not to mention being a WHOLE lot less work. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/16 "2005-11-04T18:10:25Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > Still got aphids. The detergent seems to chase them off somewhere for a day or two, but then they’re back…I think I’m gonna have to shell out for some commercial aphid killer. Even that commercial stuff is only going to do so much, it will leave a residue like the soap, but a rainstorm or a good watering will wash it all away. Another non-toxic solution is diatomaceous earth. > [@](#): > > Diatomaceous earth is also used as an insecticide due to its abrasive properties. The fine powder causes small cuts in the waxy outer layer of insects, causing them to dehydrate. In addition to insects, this also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. Beekeepers are apparently experimenting with it to keep small hive beetles from breeding. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Food grade diatomaceous earth (NOT any other grade) is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans. [@](http://www.hydromall.com/happy_grower16.html) [@](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomite) I’ve seen it in garden shops in a duster bottle, and it’s also sold as swimming pool filter media. It’s not toxic, BUT, it is really bad to get in your lungs, a good dust mask or respirator is a must. Don’t forget your fighting all the aphids in your neighborhood, there’s a lot of battles in that war! > [@Gymnopithys](#): > > Nicotine kills aphids, alright. But I don’t smoke. Where do I get cigarette butts ? I’d be embarrassed to pick up cigarette butts along sidewalks. :o You can use any kind of tobacco product, cheap cigs or cigars, or loose pipe tobacco. I’d use a pack of cigs, or 2 or 3 cigars (all broken up), or a couple of ounces of pipe weed, to a gallon of hot water, steep for a few days and your set for aphid annihilation! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-aphids/323976/17 "2005-11-04T21:17:30Z")
I think I’ll give the tobacco a try. I have a large bag of the loose leaves at home. My sweetgrass is in a big pot, not a garden, so the horde of ladybugs might not be the best idea. If only the cat hadn’t of decided to check out what the red crunchy things were I’d still have those two…But yes, I’ll try the 'baccy and report my findings.