Growing a vegetable garden is not only a great way to spend time outdoors, but garden plants reward you with fresh veggies such as tomatoes and peppers. Therefore, it is quite frustrating if you discover aphid damage covering the leaves and stems of your vegetable plants. Discover how to get rid of aphids on pepper plants using a few simple ingredients.
Aphids are tiny green bugs that find their way into almost every garden at one point or another. These soft-bodied critters have long antennae and spend their time on the undersides of leaves and suck on the nutrient-rich liquids from the stems, leaves, and other parts of the plants.
They leave a sticky substance called honeydew in their wake, which encourages sooty mold growth. Different aphid species enjoy eating from various types of plants.
The potato aphid and green peach aphid are notorious for munching on pepper plants. Leaving these garden pests unchecked leads to an aphid infestation and the destruction of your vegetable garden.
Eliminating Aphids on Pepper Plants and Preventing an Infestation
Aphids are drawn to many different plants. If you notice that your pepper plant has leaves that are yellowing and curled, and the stems are covered with a sticky liquid, you probably have an aphid problem. The same goes for aphids on a rose bush or hibiscus.
Learn how to get rid of aphids and control aphid populations without calling in pest control by using natural ingredients and preventative measures.
How to Kill Aphids on Pepper Plants with a Simple Soap Spray
If a strong spray of water from the garden hose doesn’t do the trick, another alternative to kill aphids in the garden is to use soapy water.
The soap’s fatty acids dissolve the exoskeleton of these insects as well as other pests, such as white flies and mites. Here is how to kill aphids on pepper plants with water and dishwashing soap.
To make this simple organic aphid spray, fill a bottle with water and add dish soap. Shake the container gently to mix and spray the soapy liquid liberally on the top and underside of the leaves. Reapply the liquid every two to three days over two weeks to eliminate the pests.
Home Remedy for Aphids on Pepper Plants with Natural Ingredients
Eliminate aphids in your garden with a combination of oils, vinegar, and baking soda. Not only is this an excellent home remedy for aphids on pepper plants, but it’s a homemade garden bug spray for other garden pests.
This spray contains neem oil, which acts as an insecticidal soap by suffocating the insects.
For getting rid of wooly aphids or other varieties, pour the water, vinegar, neem oil, vegetable oil, and baking soda into a bucket, and stir well to dissolve the soda. Pour the aphid killer solution into a garden sprayer and spray the plants liberally, paying extra attention to both sides of the leaves.
How to Get Rid of Aphids on Pepper Plants with Hot Pepper
While killing aphids on peppers using hot peppers seems odd, the capsaicin in the peppers is a natural deterrent for insects, inflicts nervous system damage in aphids, and does not harm the plants in any way.
Pour the water into a container and put it aside. Put on a pair of gloves to protect your hands from the capsaicin, and chop hot peppers, such as cayenne pepper, into fine pieces. Place the pepper pieces into the water to soak overnight.
Strain the liquid out of the bowl and into a spray bottle. Spray the spicy water on the pepper plants, making sure to coat the top and bottom of the leaves. Try to avoid using the spray on a windy day to prevent getting it in your eyes.
Eliminate an Aphid Infestation with Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth or DE, is a powder that is effective at killing many types of insects in the garden. It is an organic pesticide that scrapes through the insects’ exoskeleton as they travel over it, eventually leading to their death.
Wear gloves and a mask before spreading the diatomaceous earth to prevent inhaling the powder and make sure there is no rainfall expected.
Sprinkle a layer of the diatomaceous earth dust over the entire plant surface, including the underside of the leaves. Reapply the powder every few days using the same measures until the aphids are gone.
This is an excellent solution for tomato plant aphids, too. The powder is non-toxic and doesn’t affect the tomatoes or other food-bearing plants.
Control Aphids with Beneficial Insects and Companion Planting
There are a variety of ways to prevent an infestation of aphids and other insects in your yard.
Two of the best ways are to use herbs as companion plants to repel aphids from your garden and introduce natural predators to keep them in check. For other insects, consider a fly repellent plant.
Many beneficial insects, like the ladybug, are natural predators of aphids, and introducing these to the garden is a great way to eliminate the problem. In many cases, both the adults and larvae feed on these pests.
Many of these insects are easy to find in a garden supply store in egg and larvae form. Growing companion plants around your vegetable garden is also a great way to draw aphids away from your pepper plants.
Plants such as nasturtium lure aphids to them, effectively leaving your peppers bug free.
Aphids, otherwise known as plant lice or greenfly, are destructive garden insects. They feed in large groups and attack tender new growth, leaving plants looking misshapen and weakened.
Fortunately, you can prevent and kill these garden pests using simple and natural ingredients.
We hope you enjoyed discovering how to get rid of aphids on pepper plants for a bountiful pepper harvest, so why not share our pepper plant aphid control methods with your friends and family on Pinterest and Facebook?