Brussels sprouts and aphids

coshoo · Oct 12, 2018

I've always planted broccoli and cauliflower, never any aphids. Planted Brussels sprouts right beside them this year, and was overrun with aphids. Come to think of it, same thing happened 20 years ago (the last time I tried them). Went on line, they said you could just wash them off- tried that for awhile, but some always hid in the nooks and crannies. Finally salvaged what I could and fed the plants to the chickens. On a positive note, the chickens sure liked the leaves that had the most aphids.

Any thoughts or suggestions (other than that you hate Brussels sprouts)? Seems like this would be an excellent opportunity for useful genetic engineering.

Bob in SD · Oct 12, 2018

So, when my son was about 8 he was supposed to water the garden. One evening I thought he had finished awfully quickly, so I asked him to show me what he had done. Since he had just watered, you could see which plants he had watered --and which plants he had not. Me "Look you didn't water anything over there". Son (stage whispering) "Dad. Brussels sprouts!".

That's the last time I grew them successfully. I direct sowed some seeds this year, but nothing sprouted. I am going to try again (probably start them indoors, wife likes them) in the spring, so I'm interested in what you find out.

Charlie M · Oct 12, 2018

I think something like seven dust would get rid of them. If you don't want to use that I think there is soap solution you can get at home garden stores that might work.

C.Amick · Oct 12, 2018

I had bad problems with green cabbage worms this year. Next year I'm thinking about buying insect netting.

Dsmythe · Oct 12, 2018

coshoo;
I have not tried this product but I have friends who try to stay away from the stronger stuff and use this.

Bacillus thuringiensis, often abbreviated as Bt, is a naturally-occurring bacteria that makes pests sick when they eat it. There are two strains commonly used as natural pesticides.

Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) gives excellent control of leaf-eating caterpillars such as cabbage worms and tomato hornworms, but has no activity against insects that do not eat treated leaves. After the insects eat the bacteria, their guts rupture and they die. Bt is therefore one of the safest natural pesticides you can use in terms of controlling caterpillar pests of vegetables or fruits without harming beneficial insects.

At least there is some food for thought. Dsmythe

47fivewindow · Oct 13, 2018

In the fall the cool weather controls most pests, I have given up on cabbage in the spring, by the time it's ready in early summer there is so much Sevin on it I don't want to eat it.

Brussels sprouts and aphids

coshoo

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Bob in SD

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Charlie M

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C.Amick

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Dsmythe

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47fivewindow

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