Gardening and Greenhouse

Aphids seem to love them. Not only are they useful, they are beautiful and I can just cut them off and throw them out to my chickens, aphids and all after they have gone to seed for a high protein treat. Tobacco plants are extremely effective as once the aphid lands on the sticky tobacco leaf, it is stuck and can’t get off.

Other methods of dealing with aphids are to squish them off with your fingers, yuk. Or load yourself up with ladybugs and green lace wing buds. These can typically be found at your local nursery. Phelan Gardens or Ricks Nursery in Colorado Springs are two of my favorite places.

Diatomaceous Earth is another option and can be purchased at your local feed store. I find this to be the most cost effective as you can buy a 25 pound bag of food grade DE for much less than what you’ll find in garden centers. Because DE is a form of silica, it punctures the exoskeleton of the insect resulting in death. I put mine in an old mustard container and just foof it around as needed. Be aware, DE can also have an impact on beneficial insects so may not always be the first choice in pest control.