Home remedies to eliminate aphids on plants

Aphid is one of the most common pests on plants, both on outdoor plants in gardens and orchards and on indoor plants, although it is less common within the home for it to appear. If you are looking for solutions to combat aphids in your home, you have come to the right place, we are going to provide you with the information you need.

Next, we show you a guide in which we talk about the different types of aphids in plants, the symptoms that they show when they start to get sick because of this pest, and tips, recipes, and steps on different home remedies to eliminate aphids in plants. plants, always with natural and ecological products.

Types of aphids on plants

Before starting to talk about how to eliminate aphids in an ecological way in plants , we want to comment on the different types of aphids or aphids that you can find:

• Black aphid.
• White aphid.
• Green aphid.
• Yellow aphid.
• Red or brown aphid.

In principle, although it depends on the area, the first three species are the most common. However, generally, the same products can kill pests of all these species with the same effectiveness.

How to know if my plants have an aphid infestation – symptoms

Normally, we realize that this pest is on our plants because groups of these insects are hiding in certain parts of them. Detecting them is very easy, since you only have to observe the undersides of the leaves, as well as the tender buds of each plant and, if there is an aphid, you will surely see it.

This usually happens when there are already a large number of these parasites and they attract our attention. However, apart from opting for preventive treatments from the winter time, we can also detect this problem early if we know the signs of its presence.

The main symptoms of aphids on plants , apart from getting to see them, are the following:

• The plants lose vigor , slow down their growth, in certain areas they wither and, in the case of flowering time, new flowers stop coming out and those that are there pass faster.
• The leaves are deformed and wither faster too.
• New shoots do not come out and the most tender ones stop growing, turning brown and dry until they fall.
• Especially when this pest is more advanced, you can also observe that other diseases appear in the plants , such as powdery mildew , rust, mildew, etc.
• You will see that ants appear on the plants , as they are attracted by aphids or aphids because they secrete a substance that they like to consume.

All these signs are due to the fact that these parasites feed on the sap of plants , leaving them malnourished or dry as they consume it. In addition to this damage that they cause directly, tmaibén aphids are vectors that transmit viruses and other diseases to plants .

How to eliminate an aphid infestation in the garden or vegetable garden

On the one hand, the aphid can be killed with pesticides or artificial insecticides that are sold in florists and garden stores, but you have to follow the instructions very well to make sure you do not harm the plants.

On the other hand, you can opt for home remedies to eliminate aphids on plants naturally . In EcologíaVerde we recommend using:

• Garlic.
• Vinegar.
• Potassium soap
• Nettle slurry.
• Plants that offer natural protection.
• Introduction of natural predators of aphids.

In addition to these products, as it is very common to use tobacco to eliminate aphids from plants, we will also explain this other home remedy. Vegetable oils and essential oil can also be used to eliminate aphids, applying them directly to the affected parts, although it should not be abused so as not to prevent the plant from continuing its vital functions and damaging or even killing it. For example, one of the most effective essential oils for this problem is Neem oil .

So, below, you will find the best natural remedies for aphids on indoor and outdoor plants; The only thing to take into account between inside and outside the house is the schedule in which it is applied to avoid direct sunlight.

Home remedy with garlic to eliminate aphids from plants

One of the most effective plant aphids remedies is garlic. If you usually have this food at home, it is undoubtedly one of the best natural options to make a natural homemade insecticide and apply it against these parasites.

Among the properties of garlic are that it is antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. Thus, in the appropriate doses it seriously harms these insects, also serving as a preventive method by repelling them, and even kills them quite easily, especially if a concentrated infusion is prepared.

Next, we tell you how to prepare a garlic infusion against aphids :

Ingredients

• 1 liter of water.
• 1 head of garlic or 5 cloves.

Preparation and treatment

1. Peel all the garlic cloves into small pieces and mash them in a bowl or mortar.
2. In a large pot pour the liter of cold or room temperature water and add the pieces of garlic.
3. Cover the pot with a cloth and let it rest for a full day.
4. After time, put the pot with the water and garlic on low heat for 20 minutes.
5. Then turn off the heat, allow the water to cool, and strain the remaining pieces of garlic, pouring the liquid into the spray or spray container.
6. With the infusion of insecticidal garlic in the spray you can start spraying the affected plants. We recommend that you insist on the parts where you see more aphids, but also wet the entire plant, in this way you will also prevent them from spreading to healthy parts.
7. Apply this home treatment against aphids on the plants for 5 consecutive days, but always do it at times when there is no direct sun (at sunrise or sunset).

Vinegar for aphids – effective remedy

Vinegar is a natural product full of properties and benefits that give it a variety of uses. For example, in the garden and orchards it is widely used to eliminate weeds and as a natural pesticide against different types of parasites, both insects and fungi and others.

Thanks to the acetic acid that is in the composition of the different vinegars (wine vinegar, white vinegar and apple cider vinegar), these are very effective when it comes to eliminating aphids from plants and preventing their reappearance, as it also acts as natural repellent .

Wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar are the best to use on plants and remove possible parasites from them. To use vinegar for aphids , you only need to mix 1 part of this product for every 10 parts of water, so that it is diluted in a good proportion. Pour the mixture into a spray or spray can or, if you have prepared a lot because you have several affected plants, you can use a backpack with a spray or sulfate. Once prepared, spray the entire plants, insisting on the most parasitized parts, once a day, for about two weeks or until you see that there are no signs of aphids. Remember to wet the plants when they are not in direct sunlight.

Potassium soap to combat aphids

Another good option among home remedies to eliminate aphids on plants is to use potassium soap, potash or potassium soap. This is a product widely used in gardening and horticulture when it comes to getting rid of pests and preventing them in certain situations. Mainly, potassium soap is used to control pests in plants, being especially suitable to kill aphid pests, although it is equally effective to prevent and eradicate others such as whitefly, different types of fungi, mealybugs and caterpillars.

To use potassium soap to eliminate aphids on plants , you just need to follow these instructions:

1. Buy or make your own potassium or potash soap. 
2. Prepare the soap in water solution, using only between 1% and 2% of this product for the amount of water you use.
3. Mix the product and water well in the spray bottle and you are ready to use it. We recommend shaking the mixture before each use.
4. Cover the entire affected plant with this product, insisting on the parts where you see the most number of insects.
5. As when applying any product that wet the leaves and stems, we recommend doing so when the sun is out on the plants to avoid burning them.
6. You will see that it is very effective and that in a short time its effect is already visible because the insects die and, as the plant dries, they fall.
7. Apply the potassium soap for 15 days in a row for 3 to 4 months. In this way, you will kill aphids on all your plants and you will also prevent their reappearance and that of other equally serious pests.

Nettle slurry for aphid pests

This is another ecological method to kill aphids on plants . The infusion or slurry of nettles, as well as horsetail, is a natural and ecological solution to the variety of parasites in gardens and orchards. The reason is that both nettles and horsetail are plants that have antiparasitic, insecticidal, antifungal, antibacterial, antimicrobial properties, etc., so their extract, concentrated infusion or slurry are effective against aphids, flies, caterpillars, mites, mushrooms, etc.

These infused plants also strengthen diseased plants by providing them with an extra silicon, a mineral necessary in the growth and maintenance of the health of vegetables. In addition, in the fermentation process of the herb slurry , bacteria called good are formed because they favor the fixation of nitrogen in the soil or soil in which the plants are, helping them to grow better and are more protected against possible parasite attacks. .

To prepare the nettle and horsetail slurry against aphids, follow these steps:

Ingredients

• 1 kg of nettles or horsetail (fresh).
• 10 liters of mineral or rain water.
• Plastic drum or barrel (not metal) to prepare this concentrated and fermented infusion.
• Long wooden stick.
• Cloth strainer.
• Sulphating sprayer or backpack.

We will avoid metal utensils because rust can interfere with fermentation and this product is no longer effective as a pesticide.

Preparation

1. Add the two ingredients to the jerry can.
2. Mix the ingredients with the stick for 5-10 minutes once a day. Do this daily until you see that the bubbles from the fermentation that will be on the surface are greatly reduced. The process can take between two weeks and two and a half weeks. At this point, it is the best time to use it as a pesticide.
3. After each time you stir, cover the plastic barrel but allow a little air to enter and leave it in a cool place.
4. When you have seen that the indicated days have passed and the bubbles have decreased, then add the liquid you are going to use in a sprayer, using a cloth strainer to remove the pieces of debris.
5. When applying it, use a proportion of 1 liter of fermented infusion of nettles or horsetail for every 15 liters of water.
6. Spray the preparation daily on the entire plant and on the ground or soil, when the sun is not out and do so until you see a good improvement (maximum two weeks and a rest before using it again).

Fight aphids naturally with plants and insects

If you have detected that you have some plants in your garden or garden that are prone to this pest frequently, do not hesitate to surround them with others that will give them natural protection .

From EcologíaVerde we recommend that you plant around the plants that you usually find with aphids plague these others:

• Honeysuckle .
• Foxglove.
• Nettle.
• Lupine.

These four species usually work as natural repellants for these parasitic insects. Without a doubt, this is one of the most ecological ways to prevent pests in the garden and garden .

However, there are more ecological ways to eradicate these parasites and prevent them from reappearing. Apart from planting these other vegetables, we advise you to incorporate fauna into your garden, terrace or orchard, although it will be good for you to be advised by a professional to learn how to control that they do not become another type of pest. Thus, you can release natural aphid predators such as:

• Lacewing or Chrysopid.
• Ladybugs, chinitas, coquitos, catarinas, vaquitas de San Antonio or sanantonitos.
• Parasitoid wasps, such as those of the Cheloninae subfamily .

Tobacco as a home remedy against aphids

Finally, we want to talk about tobacco to eliminate aphids on plants . It cannot be considered an ecological or totally natural method, since commercial tobacco has been highly treated with various chemicals that are harmful to the environment, beyond the nicotine itself. However, it is really effective in getting rid of pests and is an easy home remedy to prepare. In principle, it will not harm the plants if we do not exceed its application and if we avoid giving the sun to the wet leaves.

Nicotine and other toxic substances in tobacco leaves are responsible for killing aphids and other insects that may be on the plant, whether they were harmful or beneficial. To use it follow these steps:

Ingredients and material

• 3 or 4 cigars or the equivalent of rolling tobacco.
• 1/5 of water.
• Spray bottle.

Preparation and treatment

1. Mix the tobacco with the water in the bottle that you will use later to spray the natural pesticide.
2. Let this mixture sit for two whole days.
3. Filter the remains of tobacco and leave only the liquid.
4. Spray the tobacco insecticide on plants with aphids for up to a week at a time.

We hope we have helped you with all these natural remedies to eliminate aphids. Keep in mind that most of these remedies work for a variety of pests, such as caterpillars, ants, whiteflies, fungi , and so on.