Bugs on my house plants

[Tifftastic]

So, I'm no gardener, but I am trying to keep some herbs alive in my flat. I got some starts from a mint and sage plant that are being grown out at one of our community gardens and it seems they came with, what I think?, are aphids on my mint. I read on a couple of blogs that I could kill them with a mist of dish soap and water sprayed daily. But it doesn't seem to have helped and they've now spread across the room to my sage plant and maybe my rosemary. Though they seem to have left my lavender and Christmas cactus alone, so far. I've been doing the soap mist daily for two weeks and just noticed today (I've finally gotten a day to work from home) that they are much worse. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on what to kill them with that would be safe inside and safe to use for plants that are going to be used for food?

 

[OrionGirl]

Soap mist won't kill them, IME--it just breaks down the waxy coating that protects them from liquid insecticides. For my non-aquatic house plants, I get an aphid spray, put the plant in the sink, pour soapy water over the WHOLE thing, including the substrate, then spray with the insecticide. Let it sit until dry, put it back in it's normal spot and repeat every 3-4 days until you don't see aphids anymore. You can use diatomaceous earth--spritz with water, then coat ethe whole plant with a light dusting. But I'm a fan of the scorched earth policy--I hate aphids.

 

[Tifftastic]

I think I'll go with the napalm option. I don't want to be dealing with these guys, I want to make food with my sage darnit.

I'm not familiar with any of the brands in the UK, I found one called rosegarde, it says the active ingredient is myclobutanil and cypermethrin. Any idea if this would work? Or do you know of a US brand that is good and I can look up the active ingredient and see what I can find in the UK?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vitax-Ltd-...F8&qid=1505999428&sr=1-7&keywords=aphid+spray

 

[OrionGirl]

I use an Ortho brand product, active ingredient is acetamiprid.

 

[OrionGirl]

Just looked at the link--you want to get something that says it's safe for food plants. I would be wary of anything targeted for roses alone, since very few people eat their decorative flowers an products for them might not be safe for consumption (at least here in the US).

 

[Tifftastic]

Ah great thank you! I managed to find one that I can get on Amazon. These buggers are going down.

 

[myswtsins]

Good luck to you! Never had to deal with aphids in the house, outside I just let the ladybug larvae eat them lol.

 

[Tifftastic]

Thanks!

Ya, I've never seen them inside either. I guess its the risk I took getting cuts from essentially wild plants. I seem to have a bit of a curse with house plants lol.

 

[myswtsins]

I am mega cursed with house plants. I just threw my last ones away a few weeks ago, I give up! (For now, I'll break down again in the future I am sure) I can grow plants outside just fine, bring them in and I kill them all lol.

 

[OrionGirl]

I transplant ladybug and their larvae onto the pond plants. The aphids hit the water lilies hard, and I go through and sweep them off for the fish to eat as well. Hate them. Aphids and japanese beetles are the only insects that I actively try to remove.