Aphids on Peppers

[plantmarkParticipant]

Any suggestions for Aphids and greenfly on Peppers would be welcome before I lose them all. I have tried an organic product, SB Plant Invigorator but its not effective.

[charlesModerator]

 Where are you growing them and how big are they?

[plantmarkParticipant]

I am growing them in the greenhouse – ring culture on grow bags. They are about 6″ high now.

[charlesModerator]

Some aphids just "hang out" on leaves without causing too much damage, such as the white and grey ones often found on brassicas, especially in mild winters. Others cause more damage such as making leaves curl and shrivel and they are usually a response to plants being either stressed, or imbalanced in growth.

For those on your peppers, it sounds like the latter, and with both causes in play. I suspect the aphids will reduce in number now that temperatures have been higher, enabling the pepper plants to make stronger, sturdier leaves of less interest to pests. Also grow bags are full of nutrients and that can cause soft, rich growth which insects love, especially when plants are small: hopefully as your peppers get bigger they will be less interesting to aphids, and ladybirds should be arriving soon. Meanwhile you can wash them off a little with water spray.

[Pete BuddParticipant]

I grew some quite acceptable sweet peppers in my conservatory last year but they became infested with aphids late on. I tried removing some leaves to stop them spreading which meant the peppers themselves were ok, however; the aphids then spread to our Bourganvillea and to some early cauliflower plants. Its a bit annoying to say the least. What is your opinion regarding pyrethrum based insecticide in this situation Charles?

[charlesModerator]

 Hello Pete,
I would prefer not to use it but in a confined environment like your conservatory, where there are perhaps no ladybirds (?), it may be worthwhile.

Val Bourne, who used to work in research laboratories, recounted how when they were studying aphids, and for one reason or another the aphids died out, they would spray all the research plants with aphicide! Apparently this killed everything and then the first insects to reappear were… aphids. Which is what they wanted in that case.

I don’t know how powerful pyrethrum is compared to synthetic aphicides which the scientists used!

[plantmarkParticipant]

Many thanks Charles. I have been trying to remove them but meanwhile they keep returning and the leaves are now so badly curled that they may not continue to grow. I have now sprayed with a water/vegetable oil mix and that seems to have cleared them.

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