Aphids on new little citrus trees

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AZgrammie North of Heber, AZ(Zone 6b) Mar 27, 2010

I have three dwarf citrus trees (grapefruit, tangelo, orange) in my greenhouse, two planted last spring and one about 2 months ago. All of them have little new leaves and looks like some blossoms coming along, too. Yesterday I noticed scads of teeny green aphids on some of the new leaves. No ants. Today I went out and painted the new leaves with a homemade garlic and hot pepper concoction. Will this do any good? Or harm the trees? If any of you have tried this or have some other solution, please let me know. I do not want to use any poison sprays.

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CoreHHI Bluffton, SC(Zone 9a) Mar 30, 2010

Soap will work to immediately kill them off. Dish soap will work no real need for anything special. You going to pollinate those by hand?? You don't want to be killing bugs at the same time bees are involved. Neem oil with pyrethrin will work too. Safe combo there.

Back to your question, I have no idea if garlic and pepper will work but I doubt it would cause any problems.

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AZgrammie North of Heber, AZ(Zone 6b) Mar 31, 2010

Thanks Core, do you mean use bath soap rather than dish soap?

The garlic & pepper seemed to have worked and not done any harm. Most aphids are gone. Actually many of them moved to the few potato plants I have out there, unless they are a different breed. I have gone out every day and have found only a few on the citrus new leaves by now, and I just squish them with my fingers. Can't get hem all because some of the leaves are very tiny and sort of folded, and the aphids get inside them.

But the trees look beautiful! All those new leaves and blossom buds too, and they are starting to open and smell heavenly. The grapefruit even has some little grapefruits and one left over from when it bloomed last fall. I think being in the greenhouse has it confused.

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CoreHHI Bluffton, SC(Zone 9a) Mar 31, 2010

Bath soap could have something odd in it, probably not but just plain labeled dish soap will work.

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twiggybuds Moss Point, MS(Zone 8b) Apr 01, 2010

Last year the aphids almost ruined my pepper seedlings and I tried everything I could think of, including Neem. The dishwashing liquid worked better than anything. It supposedly suffocates them. I started my peppers later this year since they disappear when it gets warm. I guess I didn't wait late enough because I'm fixing to have to fill the spray bottle. It never gets them all but does control them with a daily application.

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CoreHHI Bluffton, SC(Zone 9a) Apr 01, 2010

I believe soap actually makes them, hmmm how to put this, crap themselves to death. LOL.

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