Any advice? My runner beans and french beans have a bad blackfly infestation.
I've tried diluted washing up liquid and garlic spray with little success. I don't want to use any more chemicals, what can I do?  |
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"Think you're supposed to remove the top of the plant because that's where they mass, then dspose in a bag straight away."
These little blighters are under the leaves and along the stems bit so far have avoided the very tops. Sound advice though if they do get that far. |
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I had a big issue with blackfly on my tomato plants.
Someone I know is a horticulturist and suggested planting French marigolds alongside.
It worked and the blackfly have nearly all gone, just the odd one here and there.
I got a tray of 9 marigold plants from a stall on the local market for £2. |
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"I had a big issue with blackfly on my tomato plants.
Someone I know is a horticulturist and suggested planting French marigolds alongside.
It worked and the blackfly have nearly all gone, just the odd one here and there.
I got a tray of 9 marigold plants from a stall on the local market for £2."
I have marigolds near them. I just had to cut a couple off that were infested too. They're every damn where. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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White wine vinegar is a good food disinfectant as well as being a non toxic alternate. Many insects can't stand the smell plus it helps to keep fruit and veg clean. Use 1 cap full to 500 ml of water. Spray it round the area of the plants. First pray water to wash them off first then apply the solution. I find this works. Mind you there will be a slight smell. |
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"What about biological controls, like ladybirds? Or vinegar and peppermint in a spray? I tend to use vinegar for everything  "
I might try vinegar and mint. I'd need about four million ladybirds to treat this lot. |
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"White wine vinegar is a good food disinfectant as well as being a non toxic alternate. Many insects can't stand the smell plus it helps to keep fruit and veg clean. Use 1 cap full to 500 ml of water. Spray it round the area of the plants. First pray water to wash them off first then apply the solution. I find this works. Mind you there will be a slight smell. "
I'm not worried about the smell. I will try vinegar this evening.
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"I had a big issue with blackfly on my tomato plants.
Someone I know is a horticulturist and suggested planting French marigolds alongside.
It worked and the blackfly have nearly all gone, just the odd one here and there.
I got a tray of 9 marigold plants from a stall on the local market for £2.
I have marigolds near them. I just had to cut a couple off that were infested too. They're every damn where. "
Annoying little blighters aren't they?
My gran always used to spray with washing up liquid and water but if that's not worked I don't know what else to suggest.
I hope someone else can come up with something |
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"What about biological controls, like ladybirds? Or vinegar and peppermint in a spray? I tend to use vinegar for everything
I might try vinegar and mint. I'd need about four million ladybirds to treat this lot. "
but so many would look pretty  |
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"What about biological controls, like ladybirds? Or vinegar and peppermint in a spray? I tend to use vinegar for everything
I might try vinegar and mint. I'd need about four million ladybirds to treat this lot.
but so many would look pretty "
In the mid seventies we had a plague of ladybirds on the south coast. They stop being pretty when you can't walk down the street because there are so many |
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I've found the greengardener website to be very good. Chemicals never shifted my ant problem, but their green solution has been amazingly effective.
That said, I couldn't spot anything which surprised me - may be worth calling them (I think they're better gardeners than web designers..!) |
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"I've found the greengardener website to be very good. Chemicals never shifted my ant problem, but their green solution has been amazingly effective.
That said, I couldn't spot anything which surprised me - may be worth calling them (I think they're better gardeners than web designers..!)"
Aren't we all .
I'll look in to this, thanks |
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"Think you're supposed to remove the top of the plant because that's where they mass, then dspose in a bag straight away."
I climbed up and had a look at the very tops and found a couple of infested stalks. Thank you |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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You can get organic spray for fruit and veg which is normally soap based or other plant extracts . Also hose down the plants .Never do either in full sun as this will burn the plants . Also feed and and spray with organic liquid se . . Mr |
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"You can get organic spray for fruit and veg which is normally soap based or other plant extracts . Also hose down the plants .Never do either in full sun as this will burn the plants . Also feed and and spray with organic liquid se . . Mr "
Thanks. |
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"I had a big issue with blackfly on my tomato plants.
Someone I know is a horticulturist and suggested planting French marigolds alongside.
It worked and the blackfly have nearly all gone, just the odd one here and there.
I got a tray of 9 marigold plants from a stall on the local market for £2.
I have marigolds near them. I just had to cut a couple off that were infested too. They're every damn where. "
The Marigolds were Infested to  oh dear that is not good marigolds emit/give out pyrethrum naturally which pest species try to avoid but you,ve proved with yours It does not always work.. I thought in the past I,d seen marigolds with blackflie on before, I,ve put a African one amongst some basil I,m growing a few years back I lost my basil plants to whiteflie hopefully this time they have a better chance but even better one If no whiteflie at all.. blackflie can be a real pest in the garden especially on bean plants, I try and not use much of any chemicals in the garden If I can help It, but by useing light soapy water (very) diluted the beans should be ok with that, not so much now but in the early stages when the beans were getting established one application of systemic Insecticide would of been ok and stopped any early Infestations of Blackflie I get them every year on my Nastursiums and cabbage white butterflies which are on the wing now, It can be a battle ground out there..  |
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"What about biological controls, like ladybirds? Or vinegar and peppermint in a spray? I tend to use vinegar for everything
I might try vinegar and mint. I'd need about four million ladybirds to treat this lot.
but so many would look pretty
In the mid seventies we had a plague of ladybirds on the south coast. They stop being pretty when you can't walk down the street because there are so many "
Now we have harlequine ladybirds Instead they,ll kill our native ones given the chance.  |
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"I had a big issue with blackfly on my tomato plants.
Someone I know is a horticulturist and suggested planting French marigolds alongside.
It worked and the blackfly have nearly all gone, just the odd one here and there.
I got a tray of 9 marigold plants from a stall on the local market for £2.
I have marigolds near them. I just had to cut a couple off that were infested too. They're every damn where. The Marigolds were Infested to oh dear that is not good marigolds emit/give out pyrethrum naturally which pest species try to avoid but you,ve proved with yours It does not always work.. I thought in the past I,d seen marigolds with blackflie on before, I,ve put a African one amongst some basil I,m growing a few years back I lost my basil plants to whiteflie hopefully this time they have a better chance but even better one If no whiteflie at all.. blackflie can be a real pest in the garden especially on bean plants, I try and not use much of any chemicals in the garden If I can help It, but by useing light soapy water (very) diluted the beans should be ok with that, not so much now but in the early stages when the beans were getting established one application of systemic Insecticide would of been ok and stopped any early Infestations of Blackflie I get them every year on my Nastursiums and cabbage white butterflies which are on the wing now, It can be a battle ground out there.. "
It can indeed. |
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"I just blast them with a strong jet from a hose or sprayer, avoiding any ladybirds, repeat every few days.
I'm getting desperate, how about I blast them with a flame thrower? Too much?  "
PM doctor prod,he's the man with the green fingers on the forums. |
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"Any advice? My runner beans and french beans have a bad blackfly infestation.
I've tried diluted washing up liquid and garlic spray with little success. I don't want to use any more chemicals, what can I do? "
Let them run rampant. Its just protein! A balanced diet without having to prepare the meat. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Are you seeing ants on them too? Apparently they ‘farm’ the blackfly aphids. So treatment of them can reduce the issue of the blackfly too. Alongside all the things you’re already doing having a sunflower nearby can distract. And as per marigolds; nettles, sedums and foxgloves. Small pinch of semolina near the ants can get them sorted, and the removal of the ants in turn stops their encouragement of the aphids. |
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"I just blast them with a strong jet from a hose or sprayer, avoiding any ladybirds, repeat every few days.
I'm getting desperate, how about I blast them with a flame thrower? Too much?
PM doctor prod,he's the man with the green fingers on the forums."
He is very knowledgeable. |
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"Any advice? My runner beans and french beans have a bad blackfly infestation.
I've tried diluted washing up liquid and garlic spray with little success. I don't want to use any more chemicals, what can I do?
Let them run rampant. Its just protein! A balanced diet without having to prepare the meat."
|
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"Are you seeing ants on them too? Apparently they ‘farm’ the blackfly aphids. So treatment of them can reduce the issue of the blackfly too. Alongside all the things you’re already doing having a sunflower nearby can distract. And as per marigolds; nettles, sedums and foxgloves. Small pinch of semolina near the ants can get them sorted, and the removal of the ants in turn stops their encouragement of the aphids. "
This area is over run by ants. We've tried everything to get rid of them but they return. The front lawn has anthills on it, the back garden has ants nests under lots of paving stones, in cracks and under pots. They do farm the black fly and leave a sticky residue on the plant, it washes off but it means you can't wash the black fly off. The beans have sunflowers each end, marigolds along the edge and are protected by witchcraft. I know not what more to do  .
I've never tried semolina for ants so will buy some today.
I love my garden and I don't enjoy killing insects but it's us or them |
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