Posted: 5/5/2002 4:42:21 PM EDT
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I can put up with alot of crap, but this takes the cake!! I worked my ass off in my back yard, shoveling, raking, fertilizing and so on. I planted beautiful flowers along the fence, including two really nice yellow rose bushes....I LOVE MY ROSES!! Now I got all these demonic little aphids on the leaves right below the flower bulb!! I plan on getting some ladybugs to kill them but does anyone have any other ideas?? Is the .223rem an effective round to use on aphids?[50] Sgtar15 |
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From Howard Garrett, the Doctor of Dirt: Q. The County Extension has informed some of us that the aphid infestation this year could endanger our live oaks. I have 2 beautiful 30+ year old trees in my back yard that have lots of aphids. The Extension Service also suggested a chemical insecticide that would have to be sprayed (actually fogged or misted) treatments, 10 days apart and was systemic and is dangerous to animals and birds. I do not want to use this. Please let me know if I should just let nature handle this in her own way. – S.L., Dallas A. [b]Thanks for pointing out this bad advice. It’s not only worthless but also irresponsible. Aphids are quite common in the spring when the buds are swelling and pushing the old leaves off. And it’s a temporary problem if you want the exercise and practice. Aphids can be killed easily with Garrett Juice plus 2 ounces of orange oil per gallon of spray. Spraying molasses at 2 ounces per gallon of water followed by a release of ladybugs will also work.[/b] Howard Garrett is a proponent of the 'natural way' to control insects, without resorting to chemical warfare against the little buggers! Here's his website for great advice: [url]http://www.dirtdoctor.com/index.asp[/url] I've been doing the 'natural way' for about eight years now, and everyone comments on how well my yard looks and the plants are doing! It simply works! Eric The(Natural)Hun[>]:)] |
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Amen, [b]Brother ScrubJ[/b], if Amdro and other chemicals were going to work, they would have already worked by now. All the gubmint has succeeded in doing is wiping out the red ant population, and put the horned lizard on the protected species list! Great work, gentlemen![BD] Eric The(KeepItRighteous)Hun[>]:)] |
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Quoted:All the gubmint has succeeded in doing is wiping out the red ant population, and put the horned lizard on the protected species list! Eric, All I've ever heard about the Horned Lizard (Go TCU! [:D]) being endangered is due to fire ants, not a lack of red ants. Apparantly, the lizard can't handle the stings of the fire ants like it can other ants. Also, since fire ants kill every other ant species it comes across, the poor red ants don't have much of a chance. I have done no formal research on this. It's just what I was always taught when I was a student at TCU. |
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Quoted: get some ladybugs. you can buy massive quanities of ladybugs. set them loose, they will eat your aphids, and move on. Stay the HELL away from Lady bugs!! Up here in Canada we have been overrun with the damed things.. So many farms started to release the little critters that they had to import them... Asian ones.... THEY BITE!! No shit!! When they are starving they bite!! They almost over ran my gun club.... IT was sooo bad that when they gathered inside as winter came THEY BLOCKED THE WINDOWS!!! No kidding masses of ladybugs so thick they blocked the windows!!! Soap and water my friend with some rubbing alchohol!! Sprayem and killem... |
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[b]Brouhaha[/b], I've read that red ants are naturally predatory of fire ants and that the quickest way to kill a fire ant mound is to drop a cup of red ants onto the mound! Of course, I've never tried it, mind you, but look at Howard Garrett's website - he may make a believer out of you! As he did me! Eric The(Natural)Hun[>]:)] |
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Soapy water sprayed on the [b]underside[/b] of the leaves will clear up the Aphids. Ladybugs are ok. Just make sure you get some that are native to your area. But soapy water is a lot cheaper. Apply at least once a day, twice prefered. Oh yea, don't put it in a metal sprayer. I forgot that soap speeds up rust. Ruined my favorite sprayer long ago. |
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recipie for aphid control: 1 Gal. water 2 oz. rubbing alcohol 5 drops Dawn dishwashing soap....... the soap breaks down their protective coating & the alcohol kills them...... apply by spraying from a hand held "Windex" type sprayer or for large area a pressurized 5 G. sprayer |
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Quoted: dude if the ladybugs caused that bad of a problem you should have just vacuumed them not sprayed them.... Canadians when will they learn [rolleyes] I spray the APHIDs with the soap mix not the ladybugs.... The lady bugs were killed with the expedient use of a blow torch IIRC.....hey I was doing some plumbing at the time!! As to vaccuming?? Sure thats just what I want a vaccum bag full of thousands of bugs!! Ya right??? Oh sgtar 15....roses have BUDs not Bulbs.....Geeezzeussss, some people just don't know flowers?? Hey Don?? What about a flower fourm??!!! LOL Just kidding...... |
| Systemic Fertilizer an a Soap based Bug killer.had a boss that was a Rose freak every year same shit......drop everything an get the bugs off the plants.....I learned one thing a rose bush loves to be trimmed back they love the pain it brings back more bloom's to keep the freak boss off my ass. |