I’ve noticed some small bugs on my plants. I don’t have a picture yet to post of them, but they look like aphids to me. My plants are about 4 weeks old. I do not see any real serious damage yet. I believe they just recently arrived, since I have only spotted a few, but I have also found some eggs on the stems and leaves. I’ve been researching effective treatment and I’m thinking of trying a spray made with neem oil. Will sticky fly paper be effective also?
What have you all had success with when it comes to eliminating and deterring these pests?
A neem oil spray on the plant at 3 day intervals for 2 weeks should solve your issue. It’s best to start right away as a “few” is easier to fight then an infestation. Make sure every bit of the plant gets covered especially the underside of all leaves. You must be diligent with timing and follow through as eggs hatch and their lifecycle starts again .
Spraying anything on them in direct sunlight isn’t a great idea. Try early or late or shade them a bit. Don’t worry about old leaves concentrate on new growth.
They are indicators. They are there for a reason. Instead of always immediately wanting to get rid of certain insects ask yourself, what is it a symptom of? Pests are not pests, they are simply a reaction to imbalance.
Aphids indicate too much nitrogen, so they come and slow the plant down, it’s growing a little too fast, so the aphids are helping it slow down, they are actually helping the plant. Yes, there is such a thing as plants growing too quickly.
So back off on the nitrogen if you are adding any. Otherwise just leave them be, they are helping the plant balance itself in a soil that is not balanced.
Perhaps plant or sow something else in the pot that needs a lot of nitrogen, to balance it out, beans for example. They will absorb and hold nitrogen, then when your plant is harvested you can cut the beans down and chop them up and use it as topdressing for your next grow. That will release the nitrogen again but slowly so there’s more balance in your soil. Leave the roots in as well. Just sow directly in the soil.
