Greenfly

[Thunderchild]

how do i get rid of greenfly in the most natural and possibly cheapest way

Thanks

[shaneystar]

A squirt of washing up liquid diluted with water in a spray bottle. .Spray the little blighters with this and then give everything a good hose down afterwards.You need about a teaspoon of w.up.liquid to two litres of water.For more information see here...http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/techniques/pests/aphids.ht m

[Thunderchild]

i was told to soak sigaretes (wel as non of my family smoke i collected our nmeours stubs frm our doorstep) in water so as t make  nicotine water to kil ants and that worked for ants but myb ur idea s "healthier"

[jake-the-peg]

Natural's an interesting word.

There's nothing very natural about washing up liquid and yet derris dust which is quite a powerful insecticide (and would probably do the job nicely) is powdered root of the derris plant.

Anyway maybe this would help:

http://www.organicmattersmag.com/features/what_do_organic_gardeners_do_about_insecticides.htm

[ShellyHall]

Go out and collect some Ladybirds then let them loose on the greenfly.  They find them very tasty!

[Thunderchild]

yes there r some ladybirds here in italy and last year did a beautiful job but this year it is getting a bit bad and they have not come yet so i am getting a bit worid

[Thunderchild]

i just read that the derris powder kills ladybird eggs hm not so good maybe better just wait for em to come + i don't know hwere to get that sort of stuff here they r a bit behind especially on nature

[jake-the-peg]

It sounds as if you're not actually after natural what you're after is specific. i.e kill the greenfly and nothing else.

That's actually quite tough unless you are in a greenhouse where you can do the natural preditor thing, trouble is outdoors keeing them where you want them - ladybirds fly damn them [I'm guessing that in Italy you're not in a greenhouse/polytunnel]

There are a number of suppliers of predatory solutions such as here:

 http://www.just-green.com/prodtype.asp?cookiecheck=yes&PT_ID=69&strPageHistory=cat

These are mostly larvae that feed on things like greenfly so they don't fly off like ladybirds. you'd pay about �10 or �15 I suppose.

*HOWEVER*

Clear this with somebody, importing live insects like this could land you in a ton of trouble

Best of luck

[grannyg]

 In the case of roses etc. plant cloves of garlic around the plant apparantly greenfly do not like that.

[silly moo]

Buy some ladybirds from :-

http://www.greengardener.co.uk/

Can't get more natural than that.

[Thunderchild]

hm to think that last year tons of ladybirds came for the feast after i transfered a couple that may have called the rest but this year is disastrous. i am in an open garden not green house as they do cost and i don't realy need one. also i have a big petrol rotorvator that prefers open and large ground if u know what i mena this thing is meant for feilds and cries in the garden plots its a wopping 150 cc. but there it too much ground to hand dig or as we do it here with a zappa that is a bit like a spade but at a 90� agle so u whak into the ground and it fast enough and effective if u don't have to doo all i have so i stick to the rotorvator and no obstructions

[louat42]

I use fairy liquid and water but they do come back again!!  I am no great gardener, but I am so sad to see my roses just ruined - black closed buds which I had to cut off.  Also Honeysuckle - sort of a black fungus all over.  I washed it all down with fairy liquid and rinced.Don't ants create greenfly? so, should I try kill the ants, but I want to protect the butterflys etc - I am just a novice at gardening.  appreciate any advice

[Thunderchild]

the ants actually collect a sort of honey the greenfly make but i do not know if they do anything to help the greenfly