Aphids are not a pretty sight, but they can also cause permanent damage to plants.
Chemistry is not necessary, because home remedies are also effective against the small pests.
Munich - The good news first: The sight of aphids is often worse for hobby gardeners than for the plant itself. Nevertheless, the flowers should not be left to their own devices, because the small animals can damage the flowers in the long term.
Simple home remedies work quickly and effectively.
The best tips for healthy plants
Some measures help preventive pest infestation. The easiest way to prevent aphid infestation is to have a balanced flora and fauna in the garden. Because then there are enough natural predators ready to kill the aphids directly. This works best with a wild garden. "It helps not to always clean everything correctly in every corner," explains Corinna Hölzel from the Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany.
A compost heap, a pile of dead wood, wild flowers in the meadow, wild hedges or piles of leaves and stones create attractive habitats and nesting places for many insects.
This makes it look a bit untidy in the garden, but also more natural.
Ladybugs are particularly popular, as are lacewing larvae, gall midges and parasitic wasps.
They all have aphids on their menu and thus naturally ensure that the small pests do not gain the upper hand in the garden.
This method is suitable for long-term pest control.
However, if the pest infestation is acute, quick help is required.
These are the best home remedies for acute aphid infestations
As a first step, amateur gardeners can try to get rid of as many aphids as possible with a shower. To do this, wash the plants either with the garden hose or in the shower or bathtub. The small animals lose their grip due to the water jet and are washed away. However, it is important not to damage the flowers and leaves of the plants. As a rule, this method also does not remove all pests, various home remedies are suitable for this:
The aphids do not like soapy solutions, garlic stock, neem oil mixtures or mixtures of milk and black tea and then take flight. For the soap mixture, hobby gardeners use 50 grams of soft soap per liter of water and mix the solution well. The infected leaves of the plant can be pollinated with it to get rid of the pests. Coffee grounds are also said to work wonders, because caffeine acts like a neurotoxin on slugs and aphids. The special feature: All of these home remedies are natural and therefore do not leave any chemical traces in the garden. Therefore, fruit and vegetable plants can also be treated without any problems and then briefly washed off and consumed.