APHIDS attack most garden vegetables.
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts. There are many different species, and color can vary from green to red, pink, or black. . Aphids remove plant sap and kill developing plant cells.
They also carry many diseases. Heavy infestations can cause leaf curl, yellowing, poor growth, and failure to set blooms. Aphids also excrete large amounts of undigested plant sap (honeydew). This sugary liquid builds up on leaves where it supports the growth of sooty mold fungi. Although sooty mold does not invade plant tissue, the black, crusty mat it produces on the surface of the leaf is unsightly and can reduce photosynthesis.
Biological Controls:
Lady bugs, Green Lacewings, parasitic wasps, assassin bugs, big eyed bugs, damsel bugs, hover flies, minute pirate bugs, Aphidius wasps, praying mantis, spiders.
Mechanical Controls:
Water spray from garden hose will dislodge concentrations of aphids
Yellow sticky trap,
Just admit it, hand picking and squishing is becoming your favorite way to mechanically control bugs!
Block access to susceptable plants by using a lightweight fabric row to cover the crop. These will need to be removed in time for pollination.
Cultural Controls:
Ensure soil food web is balanced and your soil is healthy. This cannot be stressed enough.
Remember excessive nitrogen causes growth and this is really attractive to aphids.
Plant Nasturtiums as a trap crop.
Plant flowers to attract beneficial insects.
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