I have a Fukien tea bonsai that has aphids (they were there when I bought it) and it has been in my home for 8 months now and I can't get rid of them. This plant is always putting out tiny flowers with sap, so there is always a spot where an aphid is very happy. I've tried Neem oil, Pyrethium-based sprays, hand picking, drenching and swishing in a pail of water, knocking off with stream of water, Q-tip extraction--they always come back. Anyone have a suggestion what to do? I'm at the point where I'm ready to put it outside when summer comes and "forget" to bring it in.
Aphids on tropical bonsai
Aphids are usually very easy to control. Forgive me for asking this, but are you sure the honeydew isn't from scale or mealybug?
Al
Al,
Your comment got me to thinking. If aphids shouldn't be hard to control, what about this plant might be causing trouble? Last fall, I put moss over the entire soil surface. It was all one sheet, and was convenient for tipping the pot sideways to wash the leaves--by holding onto the moss, the soil didn't fall out. I left it in place for that purpose, even after it died. I began to wonder if the deep moss residue was providing a cozy breeding spot and infinite supply of aphids. I removed all of it the day after your post. It is probably too soon to say this was the problem, but I can say for sure that the population seems to be reduced. Interesting, don't you think?
when I have a problem I can't control I go systemic. I'm running out of the stuff I use and the label fell off and I can't find anymore.
Anyone have a systemic insecticide they use that is easy on the plants?
Can you see the bugs? What do they look like?
A good systemic insecticide is from Bayer. i would have to get the exact name i use for container pots. It takes around 2 weeks for the systemic to work.
Oh yeah, I sure can see them, they are aphids all right, perfect match. Removing the moss didn't seem to help after all. I use pyrethrum insecticides. Maybe the things have gotten immune to it...
What you guys use is up to you, but I never reach for the nuclear bomb first. My first choice would be neem oil mixed into a 50/50 combination of hot water and rubbing alcohol with a little Murphy's Oil Soap or dish soap mixed in as well. The alcohol provides immediate knockdown and the neem oil is a powerful antifeedant and chemosterilizer. If you decide to go the neem route, you want only cold-pressed neem oil, such as that which is packaged by Dyna-Gro.
My second choice would be any brand of insecticidal soap - Safer's, e.g.
Al
what kind of insecticides did you use? some bugs can get used to certain chemicals. Did you use the pyrethrum at 5-7 days apart, 3-4 times?
The saga of the aphid-prone Fukien is over. Yesterday I had a lesson on bonsai at the local dealer, and I gave him the Fukien and got a Chinese elm instead. From what I have read, it will be much easier to keep happy.