Aphids in the Greenhouse!

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:07 am

Sounds like an 'Animal Ark' book title! (If you have girls you will know what I'm talking about!!!!
I digress!!! Its only October and already I have an infestation of aphids!!!!! What does everyone use/do? All the automatic window openers are still connected, in fact I always leave one connected during the whole winter just to get air in!! If I have them now whats it going to be like during the winter!! Its the 'Black Magic' thats covered!!!

Post by **Dave Brown** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:27 am

The problem is that there are still aphids outside and if you get one you get thousands. I had them on my Musa cav super dwarf last week. I use Provado Bug Killer. It is a contact and systemic insectacide which is harmless to pets etc. once dry.

It doesn't work that well on mealy bugs,which I blast off with the hose, and very little works with red spider mite.

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:41 pm

I recently cleared my spider mite problem in the conservatory.

First a spray you mix up called SB PLANT INVIGORATOR, then let out 500 PHYTOSEIULUS who ate the rest up. Cleared up the problem very quick, and not spotted any back yet, even on the most troublesome plants.

I also used the SB invigorator on an orchid that had a big mealy bug problem, and they ran.

Got both from eBay from a seller called nemaslug.

Post by **Dave Brown** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:55 pm

Thanks for that Lucien, I'll check it out.

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:03 pm

I'm fairly certain I have some Provado Bug Killer, I'm off down the garden now!!!

Post by **Dave Brown** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:29 pm

I found the ebay seller.

ebay listing link

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:46 pm

I normally just hose them off,or squish them.
I haven't had any bad spidermite problems this year,which is a first for me as they're normally all over my bananas and alocasias.I check quite often and any I find I wipe off.Seemsto work pretty well.
So far this year I haven't needed to spray with any pesticides.
But I have just bought some of that Plant invigorater stuff from ebay.Just in case

Steve

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:48 pm

At first I thought it was a bit pricy, bought it anyway.

Its funny, it makes so much, I've sprayed so much, and hardly any has been used. And its all natural

I guess its too late in the year for them to post the PHYTOSEIULUS out as they need 15C. I did have a coupon for buying more at a cheaper price, will have to find it.

Just found http://www.greengardener.co.uk is their main website.

Post by **Dave Brown** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 8:41 am

I bought some last night as well. Have not been able to get online as much as my laptop has a registry problem.

Completely down so having to use desktop PC

Have to go into London office on Monday to get registry fixed.

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 8:18 pm

I sprayed the entire greenhouse and plants yesterday, checked this afternoon , no sign of any wee beasties!!! great. I do like the look of that 'stuff' too lucienc, so will probably order some next week. Thanks for that!

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:30 pm

Its funny actually, I wasn't looking for any "invigorating" spray, I was after bugs to eat my Red Spider Mite. nemoslug just did a good advert on the PHYTOSEIULUS eBay listing about SB stuff, so I ended up with both.

Just checked the bottle, having done the whole conservatory + bathroom I still have > 90% left. So hopefully it'll cover me way into next year.

My spray bottle is a 750ml, was weird measuring out just 7.5ml, but it seems to work so well.

A corner of my kitchen is now 100% for my garden potions :

If nothing else from what you see, you have to get PalmBooster (and some coir) from Nigel

Hardy Palms.

The coir comes in brick size blocks, and makes 8 litres of "compost". Before you rehydrate it, add 4ml of palmbooster and some fert. It holds the palmbooster (rooting hormone) right next to the palms roots. Its amazing to see how much they root. Even works on things other than palms. I had some new Trachycarpus's that hadn't moved, palmboostered them with the weekly watering can and they started growing in days ! Maybe a coincidence, but with the roots that I've seen I'd say other.

The coir (mix 1 part with 2 parts multi-purpose as it doesn't have any food in it) has nearly run out, a friend who had 3 times as much as me has already run out. Need to go visit Nigel again and pick a lot more up.

LC

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 7:10 am

I use lots and lots and lots of coir but I get it from here http://www.fertilefibre.com/ totally and utterly brilliant for cuttings on its own, but like lucienc I mix with compost for bigger 'boys and girls'!

I do like the way your potions for the garden are colour co-ordinated on the shelves Lucienc

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 7:15 am

I'd second Palmbooster,works a treat on bananas too.
Perfect for getting pups started,plants that get stuck in customs for weeks too for that matter

You can get it from amulree aswell.
Haven't tried coir yet though,I've been meaning to for ages but just never got around to getting some.
I've got some bananas and gingers coming from florida,and the sellers throwing in loads of palm seed too.So I'll do my best to get hold of some for them.
Anyone know whether you can get hold of it from garden centres at all,I've never found any at my local ones.
Steve

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 9:27 am

I'd not thought of using it on banana pups. I'm going to get right outside and give my sick basjoo pup a boost

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 6:58 pm

Another thing I use on pups is a reptile heat mat,gives a gentle constant heat that works very well at speeding things up a bit.Its definately helped with my ruby and an unknown ornamental from the states.Hasn't helped with the dwarf namwah though,well at least not yet.Its beginning to show some signs of life so I'm hopeful it'll start doing something in the next week or so.
Heres a pic of the ornamental for the sake of it

Steve