Tuesday 15 June 2010

Blackfly!

My first infestation – and I’d been doing so well!

They’re attacking my broadbeans – all the tender young shoots covered in a mass of black aphids, and they’re starting to creep over onto the runner beans too.

They’re being farmed by ants and I have to admit it’s rather fascinating watching them running up the stems of the plants tending to their herd, while a couple of large ladybird lavae lurk on a leaf nearby, waiting their chance to move in on unattended stragglers – it’s all drama in my patch of dirt.

But, interesting though it is, it’s not doing my plants a lot of good.

I attacked them last night with a spray of water and liquid detergent but it doesn’t seem to have done much good. Perhaps it’s too dilute. I’ll give them another dose this evening with a stronger mix – maybe that’ll be more effective.

Anyone got any good tips for getting rid of blackfly?

6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Pinch out the growing tips if you have pods already forming.

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  3. Hi I found that spraying weekly with very diluted washing up liquid - about one teaspoon of Fairy Liquid to a couple of litres of water should do the trick

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  4. What Simon says it true, in fact what everyone says if true but pinching out the tips cures the problem for sure.

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  5. Thanks everyone for you suggestions - the blackfly are now no more :-)

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  6. Thanks for the tip on "blackfly"
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