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I’m fighting the second battle in a protracted war with orange… | Pests, diseases and problems | Planta community

Sunny

I’m fighting the second battle in a protracted war with orange aphids. They appeared again at three weeks. I used insecticidal soap after knocking most of them off with a garden hose the first time. I used ant spray this time paying attention to applying it under the leaves where some were hiding. This is the only plant with aphids. This Hoya Multiflora lives up to its name by continually putting out flowers. There are several peduncles in bloom. New growth is very attractive to aphids.

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6 comments

  1. KJM

    I think those orange aphids are greenhouse aphids. I know you have some experience with aphid controls so I don't think I can tell you anything you don't already know. I did read something interesting that I will pass on. Apparently, aphids are attracted to nitrogen so if a plant is getting too much nitrogen it exudes it through its pores and the aphids are attracted to it. In this particular YouTube he said they try to reduce the amount of nitrogen in the greenhouse to discourage aphid development.

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    • Sunny

      I haven’t fertilized this plant very much when it was outside last summer. I only fertilized it twice last summer. I last fertilized in November when I brought it inside for winter. It had two peduncles blooming in November. I planned to start fertilizing again in December when it stopped blooming. It never stopped. It added more peduncles by December and got aphids in January. So, I’m not sure if it is nitrogen attracting them unless there is timed release fertilizer in the soil where I can’t see it. It’s in the original nursery soil. I have not repotted. It was very emerald green on arrival. It got lots of nursery fertilizer from the looks of the leaves. I just talked myself into thinking it could be the nitrogen. I will repot in spring. The photo shows how it look on arrival to Texas from San Diego last July. No yellowing from summer heat during transportation. 🤔

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  2. Bebe🌵🤍

    Are they only on the blooms?

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    • Sunny

      They were hiding under the newest tender leaves as well. New growth is tender and attractive to them. The blooms were the new growth. Easier to suck sap from them.

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    • Sunny

      Some photos of them and the leaf damage. A few died on the leaves. Orange aphids turn black after death. You can see the living ones easily because they stay orange. I need to hose down the dead bits outside when this winter cold front passes and I can operate the outside faucets.

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