Do banana peels keep aphids away?
Banana peels are a great natural deterrent to aphids.
Get rid of insects
Gardeners are of the opinion that banana peels control aphids like greenflies, blackflies and whiteflies. You can sprinkle them around your plants or even bury them in your garden. The flies will disappear in a matter of two days.
Use aluminum foil or reflective mulch on the ground beneath the plants. While you may not want to do this in your flower garden, reflective mulch in the vegetable garden is a very effective deterrent. A strong spray of water from a hose will knock many of the aphids off the plant, and they won't be able to return.
How to Get Rid of Aphids Guaranteed (4 Easy Steps) - YouTube
Aphids especially hate the strong scent of marigolds and catnip, so they make great companion plants for valuable crops you're trying to protect. Herbs that we consider wonderfully fragrant, like dill, fennel, cilantro, chives, and peppermint, also have smells that deter aphids.
Control with natural or organic sprays like a soap-and-water mixture, neem oil, or essential oils. Employ natural predators like ladybugs, green lacewings, and birds. Grow the right plants that attract predatory insects, plants that repel aphids, and plants that "trap" aphids.
If insecticides are needed, insecticidal soaps and oils are the best choices for most situations. Oils may include petroleum-based horticultural oils or plant-derived oils such as neem or canola oil. These products kill primarily by smothering the aphid, so thorough coverage of infested foliage is required.
The primary reasons aphids keep coming back is because of their constant reproduction, ability to hide, and ability to move to new plants. Controlling pests, especially aphids, is not a once-and-done deal.
Aphids are attracted to mustard and nasturtium, which you can use as a lure to attract the aphids to snack on instead of your prized plant. Aphids will often take the bait and it might save a plant or two. You will want to check on your lure plants to make sure that the aphids do not hop onto the valued plant.
Plants that Naturally Repel Aphids
Planting garlic, chives, leeks, catnip, fennel, dill and cilantro will help repel aphids. Marigolds are also known to drive away a number of unwanted pests. Research good companion plants for these garden additions and place them wisely.
What animal eats aphids?
Ladybugs, ladybird beetles, or lady beetles are the most common (or at least best known) generalist aphid predators.
Can Aphids Stay in the Soil? Unlike their root aphid cousins, aphids do not live in or beneath soil. They cannot survive in such environments because they need to feed on plants' micronutrients in order to live and reproduce.
Not only is vinegar effective in killing aphids and ants, but it is also better for the environment. This homemade solution can combat aphid pests while still keeping a healthy garden for beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs.
Each female produces hundreds of offspring over several generations. The average lifespan of an aphid is approximately one month. They reach sexual maturity in four to ten days and then are able to produce their own offspring.
Banana Peels Aren't Just for Slipping People Up
According to his super-fun video, all you need to do is save your banana peels, chop them up into smaller pieces, toss them into a cup or bowl of water and mix. Let them soak for an hour (or longer, if possible), and then pour the water into your plants!
For minor infestations, the simplest method of control is to manually remove the aphids. You can handpick them, prune and destroy infected plant material, or — my favorite technique — press Scotch® tape against infected plant material and then peel it off (with the aphids attached).
A big downside of using banana peels is that insects love them. You're likely to attract gnats, fruit flies or regular flies, and ants if you have banana peels laying on top of your soil. You can also attract bees.
Natural Pest Repellent
Avoid using potentially hazardous insecticides to repel aphids and ants from the garden by using orange and banana peels to keep the pests away. Cut up banana peels to bury 1 to 2 inches deep in the soil around plants that are prone to aphid infestations to repel and remove aphids from the area.
