Getting rid of aphids – without harsh chemicals
Difficulty: Easy · Time: approx. 15 minutes
Aphids prefer young shoot tips and buds, suck plant sap and leave sticky honeydew. With a small infestation, water and patience are often enough – you rarely need the heavy stuff.
The key is to act early on both the top and underside of leaves and to repeat after a few days, because new aphids keep arriving. Long term, it helps to attract beneficial insects like ladybirds into the garden.
What you'll need
- Water and a spray bottle (or garden hose)
- Soft soap (potash soap), a few tablespoons per litre of water
- Optional: a dash of plant oil or surgical spirit
- Gloves
- Cloth or kitchen paper
Step by step
- 1
Check the infestation
Look at shoot tips, buds and leaf undersides for the small green, black or reddish aphids. Sticky, shiny leaves (honeydew) are a sure sign.
- 2
Rinse or wipe them off
Wash the aphids off with a strong jet of water or wipe them off with your fingers. On sturdy plants that's often half the job done.
- 3
Mix a soft-soap solution
Dissolve a few tablespoons of soft soap in a litre of water, optionally with a dash of oil. It clogs the aphids' breathing openings.
- 4
Spray thoroughly
Spray the solution generously on all affected areas, especially the leaf undersides. Don't spray in full midday sun or you risk leaf damage.
- 5
Repeat and encourage beneficials
Check after 3–5 days and repeat if needed. Ladybirds, lacewings and earwigs eat aphids – flowering plants and insect hotels bring them into your garden.
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Upload a photo →Frequently asked questions
- Where do the aphids suddenly come from?
- They fly in or are actively farmed by ants. Warm, dry weather and over-fertilised, soft growth encourage their multiplication.
- Do aphids seriously harm the plant?
- A small infestation is usually harmless. In large numbers they weaken the plant, distort shoots and spread viruses – so step in early.
- Why are there ants everywhere too?
- Ants harvest the aphids' sweet honeydew and even defend them against beneficials. If you want rid of the aphids, contain the ant trails as well.