[shokkyy]

Does anyone have any tricks for avoiding aphids on pot-grown basil? I always have a pot on my kitchen windowsill, but every year when we get into summer it's suddenly smothered in aphids and I can't get rid of them. I squash them with my fingers but it's a lot of leaves and a lot of aphids and I never get all of them. Water spraying never seems to do much good either.

[rcf100]

The only thing that helped was putting the pot out on a nice day and letting the wildlife outside sort it for me. I've now moved it into my greenhouse and a little spider is looking after it for me.

I tried the spray and it nearly killed the basil and there were still greenfly left so don't do that

[kermit]

I get this too. Seems to help to keep them well watered (and therefore not weak) and I also move them away from window if I am opening it. If I get an infestation then it's a soaking of soapy spray as quickly as possible (hold plant upside down to get under leaves) and leave it outside next to a sacrificial plant for a while.