The Garden Community for Garden Lovers
 

Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom Gb

Aphids on a sundew - as the plant is carniverous I'm not sure what would be safe to use, and I cant wipe them off with a finger as it would close the leaves up. any ideas please?




Answers

 

Have you a picture....I am thinking of using stealth..but unsure of where your aphids are on the plant.

17 Nov, 2011

 

try using a cotton bud dipped in gin/vodka on the greenfly directly. or failing that drink it and hope the plant does the dirty on them. leaves that close will reopen after a short period of time. the reverse of the leaf can photosynthesise too.

17 Nov, 2011

 

That is kind of what I was thinking Seaburn... Give them a good feed and then tackle the Aphid...Use vodka it's foul stuff.

17 Nov, 2011

 

Suicidal aphids - rather like chickens walking into a foxes den! I wonder if the aphids could harm the sundew, would not the juices that destroy the captive insects be present in the sap of the plants. I am not quite sure if Seaburngirl is suggesting that you or the sundew drink the gin, it would be an interesting experiment. Another idea might be to flick them off with a small paintbrush.

17 Nov, 2011

 

Doesn't the plant eat the aphids then?

17 Nov, 2011

 

I would have expected it to Bamboo

17 Nov, 2011

 

These are still so small the plant hasn't noticed them, and they are on the leaves well below the sensitive bits that tell them to close up. (I think it ate so many flies this summer that it is fast asleep at present!)I haven't got any gin or vodka, maybe brandy would do, or even meths. It is such a small plant I don't think I could reach the aphids with a paint brush without touching the spiky bits. Thank you all for some very interesting suggestions, which I would never have thought of. I'll try the brandy tomorrow and maybe slosh a bit into my coffee at the same time. Come to think of it I'll have to try to do it with a paint brush. Cheers!

17 Nov, 2011

 

I'd leave well alone and let the plant deal wit the problem...

17 Nov, 2011

 

Maybe I'll try the brandy on half of it and leave the other half - nothing like experimental data.

17 Nov, 2011

 

Why not just turn the garden hose on high power on!

17 Nov, 2011

 

Drink the brandy! I think you might blast the plants out of the ground if you use the hose! You are joking of course Moon G? :)

17 Nov, 2011

 

tackle one leaf at first and see how it goes. and of course try the quality of the alcohol HiC :o)

17 Nov, 2011

 

I could try hosing it with alcohol...hic...

18 Nov, 2011

 

After I finished laughing I finally used a fine paint brush and meths, which has always worked well for mealy bug on cacti. Some of the leaves did get a bit over excited and close up - shame really, perhaps I should have given them the brandy after all.

18 Nov, 2011

How do I say thanks?

Answer question

 


Not found an answer?