Aphids
Small soft-bodied insects that crowd onto new growth and suck the sap.
What you'll see
- Clusters of tiny green, black, yellow or pink insects on shoot tips, buds and leaf undersides.
- New leaves curl, pucker or stay small, and some turn yellow.
- Sticky honeydew on the leaves, often turning black with sooty mold, and ants climbing the stems.
- White shed skins on the leaves; puffy tan aphids mean tiny wasps are already eating them.
Why it happens
Aphids are sap-sucking bugs that multiply very fast, since females give birth without mating. They love soft, lush new growth.
How to fix it
- Squash small groups or blast them off with a strong spray of water, and snip off badly curled tips.
- If they keep coming back, spray insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, wetting the leaf undersides, and repeat as needed.
- Skip soaps and oils on thirsty plants or above 90°F (32°C), and test a few leaves first.
- Keep ants off the plant, because they guard aphids from their predators.
- Use any spray exactly as the label says, and keep kids and pets away until it dries.
Keep it from coming back
- Check new growth and leaf undersides often in spring, and look over new plants before bringing them home.
- Feed lightly; lots of soft, nitrogen-rich growth invites aphid booms.
- Protect ladybugs, lacewings and hoverflies by avoiding broad-spectrum sprays.
Read more
Sources
General guidance, not a diagnosis. For valuable, edible or outdoor crops, check with a local extension service or plant expert. Use any product exactly as its label says, and keep children and pets away while it dries.