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Safe Solutions For Controlling Aphids Curled, crinkled, yellow or stunted foliage is usually an indication that aphids are not far away. Damage caused by aphids is seldom fatal to the plant, but it can stunt growth, prevent flowering and in the case of fruits and vegetables, reduce the yield. In short, aphids can be a real nuisance. There are many different species of aphids, each with their own plant preferences. This is a good thing, which means that aphids feasting on your apple trees are not likely to harm your garden plants and vice versa. Aphids range in size from a mere speck to half the size of a sesame seed. Colour varies from light green to almost black. In order to control aphids, you must be vigilant, monitoring your plants frequently (probably about once a week). Aphid infestations initially are very localized but can spread quickly if left undeterred. Better to find the critters, before you find the damage. Check your greenery for the presence of honeydew (the sticky liquid that aphids produce) and look for the bugs on the undersides of leaves, the tips of branches or where there is new growth. These piercing, sap sucking monsters search out easy pickings. They prefer to dine on young tender plant tissue rather than waste energy struggling with thicker more established growth. Once you've found them. There are several options. You can take the hands on approach and pick them off or squish them right on the spot. I would suggest gloves for this, although my husband does it all the time with his bare hands with no ill effects ... except ... ick. You can blast them off with water spraying from a hose nozzle. This works quite well. Just be careful you don't damage the plant. Homemade soap sprays can be very effective too. The soap solution basically gums up the insect's breathing holes. Simply mix 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid with 1 gallon of water and spray it wherever you find aphids. Rinse well with water after an hour to avoid leaf burning. It's best to do a test application to a small area of the plant first, since some plants are sensitive to the soap. Leave it for a day and if the foliage seems unharmed, then proceed to spray the rest of the affected area. Some ants have a special relationship with aphids. They actually farm them for the sugary substance (honeydew) that they produce. These ants will bring aphids and their eggs from one plant to another. They will also protect them from predators, which allows the aphid colony to thrive. If you see ants with aphids, you can be sure that you have found a farm. In this situation, the best way to get rid of the aphids is to remove the ants. There is no need to kill them. You just have to distract them. Place a small amount of sweet syrup beneath the aphid infected plants. I have used honey, corn syrup, molasses, old jam, even sugar, mixed with water. I place it in a shallow vessel like a jar lid. The ants quickly find the new sweet treat and forget about tending the aphids. Without the ants, the aphids quickly perish. You can keep aphid populations in check by attracting their natural predators. Try planting a variety of small flowered plants like sweet alyssum, yarrow and herbs in the carrot family. These tend to attract lady beetles, lacewigs and syrphid flies which all prey on aphids. These predator insects are the good guys. Unfortunately, all too often, people in an attempt to eradicate aphids and other pests chose to use pesticides which indiscriminately kill all the insects, not to mention the risk to human health. Controlling aphids need not be limited to the growing season. I have had great success by inviting birds into my yard during the winter months. Put up a feeder and the birds will come. If there are aphid eggs on your trees or shrubs, insect eating birds will quickly lose interest in the seed that you offer, to glean and feast on the eggs of aphids and other pests. You will have less pests in the spring. The soil in your yard will be fertilized by the bird droppings and you get the added enjoyment of having the birds throughout the winter. Aphids are one of the most common outdoor plant pests but there are lots of tried and true remedies to get rid of them without harming the environment. Happy gardening!