[Steve.B]

Hi All,

Not sure if this has been the best year for them but on my plot they have never been so many on so my plants.
Read many topics and the old soap trick seems to be the regular answer but it's not working for me.
I have been using a brand of Bayer white liquid spray containing dealtmethrin which you can only use X number of times on your crops. Have used it as instructed but still got them, slowed them down a bit but back and can't spray any more times!
Does anyone know of a spray that will kill these little pests and that you can use as many times as needed?
I don't mind if it is a systemic killer or a contact killer but needs to work.... has lessened the crop of my French beans and is on my Runners,Marrow,Courgettes and the White fly on all my Brassicas.

[BabbyAnn]

I've always been plagued with white fly round brassicas at this time of year, often getting a face full when bending down to weed.  This year I invested in debris netting and (touch wood), I noticed there is a distinct absence of the beggars.  Having said that, this entire year I've hardly had any aphid problem especially blackfly so it might be a location thing.  Last year was very wet, followed by a long cold spring and this year we seem to be having a mini drought here.

I'm surprised by the problems on marrows, courgettes and french beans - but would you really want to throw a systemic killer on these crops as you'll then be eating the produce   Are you sure it is aphid (green, white or black) as the soap treatment really should work - how often are you treating?  If I got an infestation, I'd treat one day, and again the next, and again a couple of days later paying particular attention under the leaves where some may get missed and replace those that you managed to kill in a very short space of time.

As for treatments, I try to avoid pesticides as often these kill garden friendly bugs that eat the aphids (like ladybird and their larvae) as well as bees which are already on a serious decline.  The only time I might use an approved pesticide is to rescue woody plants like fruit bushes (especially from sawfly) and only after I've done the soap treatment first.  The more you use pesticides, the fewer friendly bugs you have around so encourage infestations.

Sorry I can't be of much more help and not what you wanted to read 

[Amilo]

Have a look at this site, http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Garlic-Garden-Spray I have tried it and it seems to work black fly, next year I am going to try it on the gooseberry to see if it will stop the sawfly.

[mumofstig]

The standard forum response from John to home made pesticides advice.............

Members sometimes discuss making their own pesticides or uses for commercial products beyond those they are licensed for. Whilst not wishing to stifle free speech, this site does not suggest or condone the illegal use of pesticides

Any spray you make yourself was made illegal by the EU, what you choose to do is of course your choice.

[angelavdavis]

I found Organic vitax 2 in 1 effective on black fly on my runner beans.  It can be used against various pests and problems.

[shokkyy]

Normally I don't really have a problem with white fly on brassicas because I have a very big bird population that eat them all up. This year, I put a butterfly cage around  my brassicas, which stopped the butterflies but also stopped the birds, so this year I do have a problem with them. Maybe I'll go back to companion planting nasturtiums around the brassicas, which did seem to work very well, and let the birds carry on doing their jobs for me. Does seem that solving one problem just creates another.

But I did find some of my sprouts and kale plants were infested quite badly, so the growth tips were dying back, so I just grabbed the hose and gave them a good squirting on every leaf and stem where I could see them, drowned the little beggars. Instant result and no chemicals

[seaside]

Absolutely shokkyy. The odd reasonably powerful triggered hosing with plain old water in and around, up and down, before they gain a real foothold is the most effective remedy by far for the white and black fly. Gives the plants a watering at the same time and they seem to love the rush of the water, a bit like stroking cats' ears or brushing a dog.
I can't imagine why anyone with a tap nearby would do anything else ... it's the most natural remedy in the world.

[Steve.B]

I've always been plagued with white fly round brassicas at this time of year, often getting a face full when bending down to weed.  This year I invested in debris netting and (touch wood), I noticed there is a distinct absence of the beggars.  Having said that, this entire year I've hardly had any aphid problem especially blackfly so it might be a location thing.  Last year was very wet, followed by a long cold spring and this year we seem to be having a mini drought here.

I'm surprised by the problems on marrows, courgettes and french beans - but would you really want to throw a systemic killer on these crops as you'll then be eating the produce   Are you sure it is aphid (green, white or black) as the soap treatment really should work - how often are you treating?  If I got an infestation, I'd treat one day, and again the next, and again a couple of days later paying particular attention under the leaves where some may get missed and replace those that you managed to kill in a very short space of time.

As for treatments, I try to avoid pesticides as often these kill garden friendly bugs that eat the aphids (like ladybird and their larvae) as well as bees which are already on a serious decline.  The only time I might use an approved pesticide is to rescue woody plants like fruit bushes (especially from sawfly) and only after I've done the soap treatment first.  The more you use pesticides, the fewer friendly bugs you have around so encourage infestations.

Sorry I can't be of much more help and not what you wanted to read 

Thanks for that just at my wits end re my French beans as they are dying due to the Black fly. Used the proper stuff for as many times as you can but still not got rid of them. Only able to get to the allotment on Sundays so spraying soap once a week.




edit to clarify quote

[Steve.B]

The standard forum response from John to home made pesticides advice.............

Members sometimes discuss making their own pesticides or uses for commercial products beyond those they are licensed for. Whilst not wishing to stifle free speech, this site does not suggest or condone the illegal use of pesticides

Any spray you make yourself was made illegal by the EU, what you choose to do is of course your choice.

Thanks, so soap spray too?

[Steve.B]

Absolutely shokkyy. The odd reasonably powerful triggered hosing with plain old water in and around, up and down, before they gain a real foothold is the most effective remedy by far for the white and black fly. Gives the plants a watering at the same time and they seem to love the rush of the water, a bit like stroking cats' ears or brushing a dog.
I can't imagine why anyone with a tap nearby would do anything else ... it's the most natural remedy in the world.

Thanks, but can't use a hose on our plot and the pressure is no good even if we could use a hose.

[mumofstig]

Steve.B: Thanks, so soap spray too?

mumofstig: Any spray you make yourself

you can buy insecticidal soaps, but the ones I've seen for sale seem quite expensive 

[Steve.B]

Have a look at this site, http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Garlic-Garden-Spray I have tried it and it seems to work black fly, next year I am going to try it on the gooseberry to see if it will stop the sawfly.

That sounds good but does it make the Cabbages smell/taste of garlic?

[pigguns]

I had an awful time earlier in the season with blackfly on my beans/natsurnams, but if you hang on in there, I was counting 10-15 ladybirds and additional larvae each time I went, and now the beans are clear and cropping.  I'm expecting next year to be easier as my ladybird population has expanded and I only missed out on a few beans... it's worth it in the long run.

I don't have a tap    just water bottle squirt & rub off.

[Madame Cholet]

I thought garlic spray was a repellant rather than an insectacide ie masking the smell. It would be legal then.

[New shoot]

As MoS says, any spray you make yourself for the control of insects is unlicensed and therefore illegal according to the EU.  Any spray you make to feed your veg is not 

We can't condone the use of unlicensed pesticides on the forum, but again, as has already been said, we're not trying to stifle free speach or telling anyone what to do on their own plot