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Herbs - Australia

Chives & aphids

20 years ago

Sigh, I just had to throw out my beautiful and (previously) thriving chives and garlic chives due to a massive aphid infestation. I should have nipped it in the bud earlier, but was flat out with work & study, and kept thinking 'I'll do it later'. Anyway, by the time 'later' arrived, the chives were smothered by aphids and beyond help. Well, I suppose I could have tried cutting them right back, but to be honest, the quantities of aphids were so awful I just threw the lot in the bin. It was a real shame, as I have been nurturing those chives for 4 years, and this was the best & healthiest year ever.

Well, I will start a new batch this year. If aphids appear again, would pyrethrum be okay (on an edible herb) or should I use other methods?

Featured Answer

Daisyduckworth

20 years ago

Try to be grateful! The chives were only doing their job. They ATTRACT aphids away from other plants, like roses.

No need to get rid of the chives. Get rid of the aphids instead:

Mix together 1 teaspoon Condy's crystals, 1 tablespoon Epsom salts and 1 bucket water, and use to spray plants regularly. Once a week, tip a few cups of the mixture around the base of the plant. Discontinue once the aphids have gone.
OR
Place sheets of shiny aluminium foil around the base of a plant Â it will reflect the sunlight and deter aphids by ÂblindingÂ them.
OR
Trap aphids in a bowl of detergent containing a few drops of yellow food colouring in it. Aphids are attracted to yellow, and they will land in the dish and drown.

Or simply give them a blast with the hose.

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Comments (6)

michael2
20 years ago
I have never had chives attract aphids.
The only thing that ever attacked them were thrips
(They look like little black aphids)
Place a chive over a rose infested with aphis(green) and the aphis will go away
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You know what's funny? If you go to the Bayer (Sevin's manufacturer) website & look at everything they claim Sevin preventatively kills - aphids are conspicuously missing from their long list. Does your Sevin bottle list aphids on it? Quite frankly, I can't see any sense in using chemical controls on herbs. Seems somehow weird & counterproductive. Hit them with plain water, or at the very most some insecticidal soap. I sure wouldn't want Sevin-coated chives topping my baked potato - lol!
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They "keep appearing" because some always remain alive after you spray. And it only takes one aphid to repopulate the plant. They come to my chives every year. I hose them off several times, then give up and cut the leaves to the ground. The clump is fine when it regrows.
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That's a great idea !! Even big animals like deers HATE rosemary and stay away from them. The below forum suggested planting chives to deter spider-mites. I have chives right next to my Golden Celebration rose in partial shade, and it's freed of pests. Other suggestions from below link: http://www.420magazine.com/forums/problems-pests-disease-control/152777-ridiculously-simple-spider-mite-repellent.html * Garlic – aphids, cowpea curculio, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, Mexican been leaf beetles, root maggots, spider mites and squash vine borers * Onion – bean leaf beetle, cabbage loopers, carrot flies, flea beetles, harlequin bugs, Mexican bean leaf beetles, mice, rabbits, spider mites and squash vine borers * Dill – aphids, cabbage moths and spider mites * Fennel – aphids, slugs, snails and spider mites * Coriander/Cilantro – aphids, Colorado potato beetles and spider mites * Chives – aphids, Japanese beetles and spider mites * Cloves – cowpea curculio, spider mites and squash vine borers H
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Jennie60
20 years ago
Smother the b*st*rds with pyrethrum, when they're dead wash them all off. If nothing's resurrectable cut them right back almost to the ground. They'll recover well. Ditto with shallots.
michael2
20 years ago
I too have only ever seen thrips attack Chives (They look like little black aphids).
You could have just washed them off.

Chives planted near roses will help repel ants which in turn farm the green aphid.
If you place a chive leaf over a rose with aphids the aphids will disappear. (The ants take them somewhere else?)
You will always get some aphid attack early in Spring (and late in Autumn) as the lady-birds have not yet emerged.
If you get rid of your aphids the lady-birds will have nothing to eat.
Ladybirds also have a "homing" instinct so will keep coming to your garden if you feed them.
mow_ohui_yahoo_com
16 years ago
Likewise, I've been having problems with aphids on my basil, parsely, oregano and thyme planted in one pot. I have washed them off with water spray, and did it with soap water solution as well. But they are just temporary. They keep coming back, and have exhausted my herbs from being overly watered due to wash off. I am looking for a good remedy that will keep aphids away for good.

Here's what I found out based on my research:
1. High nitrogen feeding attracts aphids
2. Control ants infestation to deter aphids away. Ants and aphids have symbiotic relationships. Ants protects aphids from predators, as they feed on aphids' butt.

Check this out too. This will help you get rid off aphids in so many ways.
http://www.pan-uk.org/Projects/Local/alt~dir/aphids.htm
alan langley-jones
9 years ago
Black aphids in regular and garlic chives - my experience is - Pyrethroids work but need constant application and can be relied upon to kill everything they come in contact with. Much better is Rogor (dimethoate) - a systemic poison - don't apply when chives are flowering. Never seen black aphids on roses - despite heavily infected garlic chives nearby.

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