I've been battling a serious aphid infestation on my Chinese lantern plant (Albutilon pictum) since spring. Despite my efforts, which include daily water sprays, commercial insecticidal soap, oil sprays, and even permethrin treatments, they just keep coming back. It's frustrating because if I miss a day of spraying, they're back in swarms. Has anyone faced this issue and found a solution that actually works?
3 Answers
Try mixing castile soap with water for a spray. It's really effective and kills them on contact. If it doesn't seem strong enough, just increase the concentration a bit. This helped me with my roses, and it could be effective for your lantern plant too!
I totally relate! I grow a lot of aphid-friendly plants too, but I've found that introducing lacewings and soldier beetles really helps keep the aphids at bay. Maybe consider getting some lacewing larvae online? It could be a game changer for your garden!
Have you thought about bringing in some ladybugs? They're great at naturally controlling aphid populations. Also, having a variety of other flowers in your garden can attract even more beneficial insects.
I do have a lot of different flowers in my backyard! It's packed with salvias, annuals, herbs, and even some flowering perennials.
I have a ton of flowering plants, so I think I'd naturally attract them. But I'll consider getting some lacewing larvae!