I have a terrible aphid infestation on my pansies.Have sprayed twice with little results. Help?

I used Malathion and followed 7 days later w/ Bug be Gone by Ortho. What next?

I have a terrible aphid infestation on my pansies.Have sprayed twice with little results. Help?
There's a great product made by BAYER and is sold under the name of: "BAYER ADVANCED GARDEN MULTI-INSECT KILLER" and is found sold at most hardware stores. The active ingredient in the product is called "IMIDACLOPRID" and it is very safe to humans and animals.



It does an excellent job in controlling most of your sucking insects such as; Aphids, whiteflies, scale, mealybugs, thrips and psyllids. The only sucking insect it doesn't control are mites.



You simply mix this liquid product with water and apply it to the soil around the base of your ornamental plants. Once it's applied, the roots of your plants will take it in and then translocate the material up to the foilage. It usually takes about 3 or 4 days before you begin to see control but one application will usually last the entire growing season! I've used it on the ornamental trees on my property and it works extremely well controlling the aphids, scale and mealybugs.



Keep in mind that it doesn't work if you spray it directly onto the insects or foilage.



Hope this answered your question and your pansies are able to grow pest-free for the rest of the season!



-Certified Professional Crop Consultant with over 30 years of experience and a Degree in Plant Science.
Reply:Try to understand your enemy



There are over 4,000 species of aphids, most are plant selective like the parsely aphid, You can find green peach aphids on most anything



Aphids reproduce at the rate of 200 more every 2 weeks, per female Females are born prego



The soap spray would be better for babies, pets and your lungs. Plus a host of beneficials like dragon and butterflies and bees.



The soap plugs up the pours in aphid type insects, for those that handle their food, it gives them terminal dysentary



To have some control, you need to spray your plants every 7 to 10 days from frost out to frozen ground for about 3 years



LOL
Reply:I have three recommendations.



1 - Diotomaceous Earth. Consisting of ground up microscopic fossilized plankton skeletons, once spread on plants, it is as if the bugs are walking on broken glass. It's particularly effective against aphids as all they are is little green bags of water... break the "bag" and they simply dry up and blow away. A simplistic description, yes... but how it basically works. The down side... it will have a negative effect on ALL garden bugs, even the beneficial ones, and it needs to be reapplied often especially after rain and wind. The up side, it's largely inert, however, if inhaled it can be VERY irritating, so exercise caution in its application.



2 - Wood ashes. Not as effective as diotomaceous earth, but a whole lot less expensive, especially if you burn wood. Works on the same basic principle as #1.



3 - Soapy water. Aphids drink a lot. If you spray concentrated soapy water on your plants, the aphids will ingest the soap. Essentially, this gives them terminal diarrhoea! Certainly not as effective as poison... but it has the advantage of NOT being poison. You can use ordinary dish soap and a spray bottle to apply it.



None of the above suggestions will likely totally cure your aphid problem. However, they all have the advantage of not putting poison in your yard that can have negative effects on everything in the food chain... including YOU.



Hope this helps!
Reply:seven or seven dust make sure u follow direction as more than one application will be necessary
Reply:Be kind to the earth. Use lady bugs - they LOVE aphids. Gardening centers actually sell them in containers.



Ladybugs also love mealy bugs on houseplants, if you don't mind sharing your home with ladybugs (I share mine with 'em - I think they're cute!)
Reply:lady bugs - check with your garden store to see if you can buy live ladybugs. they eat aphids. I have tried everything in the past except the ladybugs - which have been recommeded to me by a landscaper, just waiting until spring to get some and see if this year I can have my lupins (aphids seem to like them too)
Reply:Try one teaspoon of dish liquid to one gallon of water, or the same with rubbung alcohol. It should help. Spay directly on plant and roots and ground surfaces surronding plants, do this weekly, it will work good.