Rinsing Neem Oil Off Plants: Should You Do It?

Rinsing Neem Oil Off Plants: Should You Do It?

Neem oil is a powerful yet safe natural insecticide that I regularly use in my garden. It’ll cover garden pests in a light layer of oil and interfere with their biological and hormonal systems, causing reproductive disruptions and eventual death. But neem oil is, as the name suggests, an oily product that, once applied, will…

Are Aphids Pollinators? A Brief Guide to Pollinating Pests

Are Aphids Pollinators? A Brief Guide to Pollinating Pests

Have you ever seen aphids on your plants, possibly clustered around the buds or flowers? I saw aphids on several okra plants last year, including quite a few aphids around the plants’ flowers, and it got me thinking: Do aphids contribute to the pollination process? Although aphids don’t pollinate plants, they play an important, albeit…

Do Ants Make Aphids Worse? 7 Behaviors to Understand

Do Ants Make Aphids Worse? 7 Behaviors to Understand

If you’ve had any experience with aphids, you’ve likely read somewhere that ants are particularly fond of them or, like me, you’ve noticed ants roaming among and around aphid-infested plants. But what exactly do ants do to aphids? Do they make aphid infestations worse? Ants will generally worsen aphid infestations whenever they show up. They’ll…

Do Ants Eat or Kill Aphids? 6 Environmental Factors

Do Ants Eat or Kill Aphids? 6 Environmental Factors

If you’ve noticed aphids in your garden, chances are you might have come across ants as well. These species have developed a mutualistic relationship that often provides benefits to both, a fact written about extensively by gardeners and scientists alike. But does this mutualism ever break down? In other words, do ants ever eat or…

Do Aphids Attract Ants?

Do Aphids Attract Ants?

If you’ve been gardening for a few years, you’ve likely had aphids in or around your property at one time or another. In fact, with nearly 4,700 species spread across the world, aphids are one of the most common pests to show up in your garden, right up there with spider mites and caterpillars. If…

Reusing Aphid-Infested Soil: Should You Do It?

Reusing Aphid-Infested Soil: Should You Do It?

Over the years, I’ve grown plants in raised beds, in-ground beds, and containers. No matter where I’m growing my plants, I’m always interested in cultivating healthy soil. But if you’ve been dealing with an aphid infestation, you might be wondering what that means for your soil. Can you reuse soil that an aphid-infested plant has…

Are Aphids Invasive?

Are Aphids Invasive?

Have you ever seen aphids in your garden and wondered where they came from and how they got there? Have you seen reports of various invasive species–from hammerhead worms to Asian gypsy moths to spotted lanternflies (and countless others)–and wondered if aphids were invasive as well? Aphids are highly invasive insects. Although they prefer more…