How to Rid Tomato Plants of Aphids

There are few things in life more frustrating than to find the fruits of your labors devoured by bugs. This goes double for tomatoes. Fortunately, there's some natural ways to rid your juicy tomatoes of those pesky, green bugs known as aphids.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Bathe your tomato plants in soapy water. The soapy water alone may end the infestation. Use a gentle, natural soap with a high fat content. Add oil to the water and soap if the first mixture doesn't work. Olive oil or canola oil makes the soap stick better and makes it difficult for the aphid to breathe.

2. Employ beneficial insects. Your helpmates may include praying mantises, lady bugs, and lacewings. If you don't have them in your area, it's possible to buy these insects and have them shipped to you.

3. Spray all sides of the tomato plant with a garden hose. If you have the pressure up high on your hose, the aphids will fall to the ground and probably die before they can climb back up.

4. Invite birds to your garden. Birds prey on aphids, and you can draw them into your garden with a birdbath placed strategically near your plants.

5. Trim your fertilizer use. Even though your plants love the fertilizer, the aphids love it, too.

6. Add a few drops of neem oil to water (follow the instructions on the bottle) for a mixture that repels aphids.