Black Bugs

Hello
Several of us are battling the masses of black bugs on our plants. They are most likely Black Aphids and they breed rapidly and while some say they wont damage your plant others say that they could spread diseases to your pumpkin. So, I have been reading up on them and what you can do to get rid of them. You can buy insecticide sprays in garden stores or you can try a home remedy that is more gentle and less toxic to the bees, etc.

Basically you mix a batch of warm soapy water and spray or brush it on the bugsThe soapy water eventually kills the bugs by stripping their protective coatings (yuck). You can either spray the leaves with a spray bottle or you apply the soapy water with a paint brush to really get into the hairs of the plant and dislodge the bugs.  I have done both methods. The brush method is more thorough because you actually remove the bugs rather than just coat them with the soapy water. The spray method is quicker. With either method you should reapply the mixture every few days. The bugs might come back but it will slow them down and minimize the damage.

If you use the brush method (use as large of a brush as you have) I suggest having a second container of plain water to wash off the brush to remove the dead bugs, etc. before reapplying more soapy water.

SOAPY WATER RECIPE:

1 gallon luke warm water
1 Tablespoon (medium-sized spoon) of mild dish-washing soap, preferabley a BIO brand (Ecover, etc.).

Mix thoroughly and spray underside of leaves (where bugs are) or apply with paint brush.

GOOD LUCK and keep us posted on your progress!

-A