Aphids are very easy to control. Use a strong jet of water to remove them from the plant while being careful not to cause any damage. A spray with soapy water works great and adding a coarsly chopped clove of garlic makes it work even better.
I recently noticed that within less than a week a large Asclepias incarnata we have in one if the community gardens has become completely covered in yellow aphids. Ladybugs will show up to help eat the aphids but it's best to go the quick route and spray.

Mike

Thanks Mike for all your helpful advice.

I used a baby wipe to go over the rooted cutting and plan to go over it again with a Q-tip and alcohol but I will try your advice also.

Thanks again.
Susan

Mike,

Maybe your aphids aren't as persistent as the ones we have here. I can spray them off, but they come right back the next day. It turns into a daily project, which is why I don't put many Hoyas outside. They're ruthless little suckers that just don't give up...

I've never used neem oil, but I've heard it works well in making something like Safer Soap stick, and maybe that would keep them away for longer than a day. (Safer Soap by itself is no more effective than plain water...) I've found the only real solution is the Bayer Tree & Shrub.

Denise in Omaha

I did see some small black aphids attack some Euonymus shrubs at work this spring. Killing the aphids took a very thorough spray from the hose each day for about a week. I did find that ants were actually taking the displaced aphids back onto the shrubs. After using an ant bait the aphids were much easier to control. I ended up having to use a soapy water spray a few times to finish them off. They sure can do damage to a plant when there are enough of them.

I don't see aphids very often and wonder of they are more common or harder to deal with in other areas. The whole time I have been gardening I have really only seen a hand full of aphid infestations.

Mike

I have the affected plant inside right now (it has been outside all season) and I noticed that there were more this morning. I'm going to do the BATS treatment before I bring everyone back inside in a few weeks.

Thanks again,
Susan

Susan,

I've brought Hoyas in thinking I got them off only to end up with them on a lot of my inside Hoyas. It feels like a losing battle without BATS. We have the bright yellow ones, too, and they typically start appearing in late June or ealy July, on certain outdoor plants, like the weedy viner we call morning glory around here. Then they go after Hoyas and Dischidias. Hope you're able to lick them before they get out of control.

Denise in Omaha

I don't have much of an aphid problem on my hoyas but the ants are the big problem. I hose off the aphids but like you mentioned they "farm" the aphids and continually put them back on the plants. I've never successfully been able to rid the greenhouse of ants. They do have one benefit. They eat all the maggots that hatch in my stapelia blooms. Not sure which is worse, aphids or maggots....

I haven't seen any on my other plants but I'm planning to start bringing them in at the end of the month. They're all going thru an inspection at that time.

Karyn: My homemade remedy for ants is a mixture of Borax, Self rising flour or cornmeal and a tad bit of sugar. I haven't seen any ants on my front porch for a couple of months. I set it out in one of the pot saucers. I always remove my pot saucers and replace them with the clear plastic ones.

Susan

Thanks. I'll try that. I don't keep any of my plants in saucers but have plenty of other shallow bowls I can use.

oh, I don't use saucers at all in the summer when they're outside. Just saying, I always remove all saucers and when I bring them inside, I only use the clear plastic ones so I can gauge my watering.

Susan