Ok, maybe not the QUEEN of organic pest control, but she sure helps!
When it comes to controlling aphids in the spring, nothing can beat the ladybug. Those little tiny black things that cover your new flowers are ferocious eaters of those tender, delicious flower buds. They will chomp away at anything that tastes good and before you know it, your flowers have been eaten away. Yikes!
Ladybugs to the rescue!! In the spring, when the weather has warmed a bit, the ladybug can be your best friend. Keep in mind though, that they do not like temperatues below 55F and won't fly in anything colder. They won't live too long either. That's why spring weather is perfect to release them in your garden. The weather is warming up (usually above 55F, at least in Southern California) and the ladybugs love the sun. The aphids on the other hand love anything.
I get my ladybugs at Home Depot believe it or not. They come in a little pack that probably has close to 100 ladybugs in it. I get a couple of packs; one for the front and one for the back. When I get them home, I cut the bag open and shake them up just a bit, then put them in a sunny warm place amongst my garden. That usually wakes them up because they have been sleeping inside that pack. You might think they are dead, but a little sunshine will wake them right up!
I put them among my rose bushes and on my hibiscus, the two places the aphids are the worst. They do a great job in getting rid of the heaviest infestations.
If you decide to do this at home next spring, keep in mind that the ladybug won't eat ALL the aphids, just a good portion of them. To get them all, use The Happy Gardeners Outdoor Foliar Feed Plus. It will help rid your garden of the rest of the aphids, along with Japanese Beetles, weevils, spider mites and masked chafers. Made with 100% organic ingredients, Folier Feed is sprayed right on the leaves of the plants to feed and help control pests. You only need use it once a month instead of daily or weekly like most plant foods and pest controls.
Check our website, http://www.thehappygardener.info/, for Foliar Feed Plus along with a few other varieties of Foliar Feed. Your plants with love you for it!
If you would like to order, send me an email and I'll be happy to help!
Happy Gardening!
Lore
Independent Garden Consultant
The Happy Gardener
1 comment:
Lacewings are better than ladybugs. One of the major differences are that lacewings are less likely to fly away. They are also all purpose insect eaters.
Check out our website www.heartspm.com for more of what we believe about organic pest control and natural pest control.
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Hearts Pest Management
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