Dealing With Aphids: Pest Control Tips & How to Protect Your Plants

Squash and remove: Squash aphids by hand, or nip off and destroy clusters at shoot tips. Pinch out the tips of fava beans once the first pods appear to make the plants less attractive to black bean aphids.

Blast off: Use a jet of water from a hose to blast aphids off your plants. The aphids will be unlikely to return to the plant.

Spray soapy water: Add a couple of drops of washing-up liquid to a spray bottle full of water and spray the solution all over the effected plant, including the leaf undersides. The soapy water will trap and suffocate the aphids.

Use row covers: Winged aphids can quickly spread plant diseases, such as cucumber mosaic virus. Cover susceptible plants such as cucumber, spinach, and celery with row covers in midsummer, when the risk of this disease is highest.

Attract predators: Ladybugs (especially their larvae), lacewings, and many types of tiny parasitic wasp have an appetite for aphids. Plant flowers and herbs to attract them to your garden, for instance, calendula, marigolds, alyssum, buckwheat, echinacea, fennel, dill, parsley, thyme, and mint.