... growing and hybridizing all kinds of plants in zone 6b Maryland since the 1980's.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Another bath for the peppers

The aphids were building up again and the temperatures are finally up in the 30's F, so I took the peppers out of the basement and sprayed them down with soap spray. After 5 minutes or so, I blasted them with the garden hose. They always look happier after one of these "treatments". And it takes a while for the aphids to build back up. I'm guessing there are eggs that I miss. Maybe if I did this frequently enough, I could get 'em all???

2 comments:

  1. I've got aphids tormenting my basement peppers too, but I don't have warm enough days to take them outside for a bath. Last year I tried an insecticidal spray, but they came back from that too. A colleague who's worked in commercial greenhouses suggested some aphids are hiding out in the soil.

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  2. Hi Darren! They are miserable little cusses aren't they?! I resorted to pyrethrin type insecticide last year too and it didn't work much better than a 2% soap spray. So far, since the last soap spray and hose blasting, only a few have re populated. Now if the weather would only cooperate so I can repeat. I hope you get some warm enough weather soon too. The peppers seem to be fine with the short periods of cold as long as it's above freezing. Good luck!!!

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