Our world is just too small to be messing with random additions of chemicals and in his book, the intelligent gardener, Steve Solomon spells it out for you. But if you prefer to keep it really really safe, simply make the conditions right for microbes and they will make the conditions right for plants. It is a simple and satisfactory solution.
Calgary Gardener Jack Wootliff asked me earlier this summer how to get rid of his red aphids. I suggested he just spray them with water. He did that and he also sprayed them with soap and water. Well something was paying attention and this week he sent me this updated photo. He still has aphids, but he has added to his diner
Thanks to some sage advice and the willingness to try again, my worm population has again become the thriving environment it once was. I still add coffee grounds to the mix, but as just a small part of the overall blend, making sure, just like humans, they eat a well rounded diet full of fruits, vegetables, and the occasional coffee to boost their early morning productivity!
“We can’t identify [the pest], but applied [a] soapy solution to it an hour ago.
Please identify it for us, and a possible treatment – even if it is to garbage this plant.” Jack
Aphids generally lay live young all summer. They do this without wings or mates. This is why aphid affected plants go from a single aphid to hundreds in a week. But in the fall they get wings and take flight. Their eyesight is poor so they are not too discerning. Whether it is a failing plant with pale pathetic yellow leaves or my husband’s orange sweater, aphids lured in and won’t take no for an answer.
This is the first year that my birch has looked bad and [it has] birch leafminer – haven’t seen that on my tree for years which tells me how stressed it is. Several branches are dead – mainly on the NW side- which took the brunt from a major hailstorm- we were lucky in Airdrie as far as the snowstorm… not too much branch damage but Calgary was devastated.
