Organic insect killer for indoor plants/herbs

Dean C · Post by **Dean C** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:17 pm

I went away for a couple of days and returned to my coriander absolutely covered in tiny little yellow bugs that move really slowly. These aren't fruit flies. I need some organic bug spray to put on the herbs to kill them, and one that isn't going to harm me (given that i eat these herbs).

I tried k-citymarket ruoholahti with no success, and also a plant store in Lauttasaari

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geek5354 · Post by **geek5354** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:47 pm

From how-to-get-rid-of-aphids:

If they're aphids, you can just spray your plants with a jet of water. The water will knock the aphids off and they will generally die before they can climb back onto the plant. For the water jet method to be effective you need to spray your plant regularly – 3 to 4 times a week – until the aphids are completely gone.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 10:15 pm

I used to use a dash of mäntysuopa in the water - used to have roses totally aphidized...

geek5354 · Post by **geek5354** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 11:14 pm

Then, there are also ladybugs. Natural predators for aphids. The tricky part is getting them to stay put and not fly away.

Dean C · Post by **Dean C** » Wed Jun 05, 2013 8:32 am

Where can one buy ladybugs? This is indoors also, I'm not sure I want them flying around the apartment

geek5354 · Post by **geek5354** » Wed Jun 05, 2013 11:49 am

Dean C wrote:Where can one buy ladybugs? This is indoors also, I'm not sure I want them flying around the apartment

Yup, the tricky part is making them stay put.

Not sure where and if you could buy ladybugs in Finland but catching them is relatively easy. Simply follow the food chains. Many orbits around the sun ago, I used to collect them under maple trees. If a tree is infested with aphids, there are usually ladybugs hiding in nooks and crevices of nearby (manmade) structures. The best time to find them is late evening when they are dormant. If one tree is infested, other trees nearby are likely infested as well so there are easily dozens of ladybugs in one small area.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Jun 05, 2013 5:46 pm

It's unusual to have aphids on plants that are grown indoors. Can you take a picture and post it here?

Esbau http://www.esbau.fi/ imports organic insecticides from Germany (Neudorff). I have seen their products in HongKong (in Espoo) but they also have an online store.

http://www.digipaper.fi/bio-aapinen/110574/
(see pages 24-25)

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Wed Jun 05, 2013 7:11 pm

I just re-read this. Your cogiander is one of these things you buy from S-market? Bloody toss it and RAID the kitchen. Put some platess around with beer and dash of soap. You dont want an infestation. Christmas flowers are the worst... Its eggs in the soil.

Dean C · Post by **Dean C** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 10:10 am

Cory wrote:Fill a spray bottle with warm water and add some dish soap. Aphids breath through their skin. When they are coated with soapy water, the soap clogs up their pores (or whatever you call them on aphids) and they suffocate. Same mechanism as raid,really. You have to actually hit the insect with the spray or otherwise they won't die.

Last time I tried spraying my plants with water with dish soap in, it damaged the leaves and the plant died.

Anyways, a general update. I just tossed the bad plant and soil. I still have plenty of fruit flies but I'm trying to hoover the area once a day and suck up most of them. When I get the little yellow bugs (much smaller than a fruit fly it's fortunately just on my chilli plant so I knock them off by hand and they don't come back for a few days

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 11:21 am

Put beer (or honey in hot water) on a saucer, a dash of soap. Leave on the counter. The fruit flies go for the fermenting smell - the soap kills the surface tension so the little buggers drown.

tjawatts · Post by **tjawatts** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:02 pm

I always get them on my chili plants too. But I think they do mostly come from the shop bought herbs.

I find that if I put the plant outside for a day they normally go away. Also spraying with water or just wiping them off helps

T

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