Aphids

[Alan1]

Any idea how to get rid of aphids yet still have the plants safe for torts to eat? My plants are infested with them

Well I've found this tip but will it work

8. And lastly…if your roses are covered with aphids, drape banana skins over the branches. Amazingly, in a day or less the aphids are gone. Those who have tried it say they have no more aphids as long as they save their banana skins for the rose bushes!

It's my chicory and pansy plants that are worst effected but they are just moving on to the next plant along each time

[swad1000]

I know spraying them with a soap solution works, so thoughly washed afterwards they should be safe.

Might be worth a try.

[trulytortoises]

i had this problem Alan with my chicory plant and its now dead, i hope it comes back though! dont know if they do or not. Its so annoying though isnt it.

[Dawn Fletcher]

You can buy other insects off the internet that eat the aphids can't quite remember what they are called though.

Yumm yumm !!

Dawn
xXx

[Alan1]

Ladybirds is what they are but I saw them advertised @£22.50 but read that it was a waste of money as they can just fly away and eat your neighbour's aphids instead

I might try swad's tip

[Alan1]

I did the soapy water spray but put only a little soap in it and it hasn't done anything. It might have with a stronger solution but I thought it would be harder to wash off. I will try the banana skin method next. More info on what bananas can do for you..

If your roses are covered with Aphids, drape banana skins over the branches, I'ts amazing, but in a day or less, they are GONE! I've tried it, and I couldn't believe it, no more aphids, as long as I save my banana skins for the rose bushes!

Bananas Contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, maki ng it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel better.

PMS:
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex England ) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including banan as in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites:
B efore reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.


Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.


Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.


Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.


Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6 and B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death from strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

[TortMad]

you could use a sacrificial plant like basil, aphids love basil and so should in theory attack the basil instead of your chiccory, whether they like it more than chiccory we will have to see

Also marrigolds are also supposed to deter aphids

[Alan1]

Thanks Lea, the clock is ticking, one of the two chicory plants is looking very grim

[lilllis]

cant torts eat aphids? also my torts seem to hunt out slugs and snails - if i dont see them and throw them over next doors first....

[ME SHELL]

Lavender is an insect repellant Alan, do you have any that you can plant next to it, and maybe you could rub the leaves onto your aphid infested plant. Hopefully that should get rid of them. Also Marigold in another insect repellant.