Gardening expert Ish has shared some of his top tips to keep your garden looking its best, and one of his hacks uses a common household item
Gardeners are being urged to sprinkle a rather unexpected ingredient onto their plants – washing up liquid. The suggestion, though somewhat baffling, is backed by experts.
Gardening aficionado Ish, who dishes out top tips on TikTok using the handle gardening.with.ish, suggests that this ubiquitous kitchen staple can conquer a major horticultural headache – pests. In one of his recent videos, Ish shared his “top remedy” for keeping pesky aphids, also known as greenfly, away. These sticky little monsters wreak havoc by latching onto plant leaves.
Confronting this issue, Ish provides some direction, which includes the reliance on liquid dish soap. His video states: “My first solution is the dish soap method, reports Devon Live.
“Now, this one is super simple. Take a few tablespoons worth of dish soap, and pop it in a spray bottle. Top the rest off with some water.”
Ish assures viewers that his mix is great at breaking down the aphids’ exoskeletons while sparing the plants, making the approach both straightforward and effective. Moreover, he endorses aromatic planting as another line of defence.
He mentions this step can help ward off the insects for one main reason. There are a handful of extras you can incorporate into your garden to assist.
For example, placing marigolds, onions or garlic close to impacted plants might keep aphids at arm’s length owing to their dislike for intense smells. While marigolds may still attract aphids, Ish signals that some green thumbs use them as a “trap plant” effectively safeguarding other greenery.
If you place them near your larger plants, they should target the marigolds and leave your other flowers untouched. He suggested these two techniques should assist in managing aphids in the garden but, if they prove stubborn, there’s another step you can take.
He recommended using a jet washer to blast them off as an effective method of elimination. Additionally, introducing ladybirds into the garden could be beneficial.
As natural predators of aphids, their presence will be extremely helpful. This should contribute to maintaining the health and happiness of your plants.
What are aphids?
Aphids are tiny insects that feed on sap, often referred to as greenflies or blackflies. They’re notorious for being plant pests.
They come in a variety of colours including green, black, yellow and white, and their sizes can vary. Aphids feed by inserting their beaks into plant stems and leaves to extract the nutrient-rich sap.
If your garden is plagued by them, there are several measures you can take to try and eliminate them. Some natural methods include spraying water on your plants, using soap or neem oil or encouraging natural predators like ladybirds.
Consider removing weeds, planting companion plants and maintaining a healthy soil ecosystem to help tackle the problem. Regularly checking your plants will help you identify if you have them, especially if you’re uncertain.
It’s vital to grasp that weeds can attract aphids and other pests, hence the significance of their elimination. Regular garden maintenance is paramount.