Attack of the Aphids

Where did those guys come from?!

One of my tomato plants was covered with aphids the other morning and required emergency intervention. I quickly got an organic pesticide: "Monterey Take Down Garden Spray."  Pyrethrin is the main ingredient, which is derived from chrysanthemum leaves and is an OMRI-certified pesticide (organic).

I mixed up a batch of spray in my 2 gallon garden sprayer. Also into the mix went one and a half aspirin tablets to help the plant's immune system at the same time.  I worked quickly as I needed to spray ASAP before the bees came into the hoophouse for the day. The fact that it happened to be cold and overcast weather meant the bees would stay safely in their hive for a while.  Although I noticed the neighboring tomato plants had a few aphids, only the heavily infested plant was sprayed.

Later that night, after the bees went to bed, I sprayed the infested others. The emergency treatment was applied to the one plant only.  It'll need follow-up treatment, no doubt, in about a week. (I kind of like that name for a horror movie: "The Infested Others!")

 

Comments

[Nate]

Too bad the ladybug from the chervil didn't find them first.

[D G Johnson]

Last year we purchased tomatoes from your farm, we loved them! this year we unfortunately picked up some "orange" tomatoes. All they are good for is sauce. Then we discovered the heart shaped red ones were split at the top and ants were eating them this am! They are so sweet but we wanted to eat them! The grape tomatoes turned out great!

[kathy]

Thanks for watching out for the bees...the foragers getting into even organic pesticides can devastate a whole hive.