How to Get Rid of Aphids & Mealy Bugs on Vegetable Plants

Green aphids.

Aphids and mealybugs are common pests that infest vegetable gardens. Aphids are small, pear-shaped insects that suck sap from the plant, which results in stunted leaves. They also can carry sooty mold, a fungus that harms plants. Mealybugs are soft, white insects that suck fluids from every part of the vegetable plant. Mealybugs cause reduced growth and yellowed leaves. Eradicating these insects is a straightforward task that requires some diligence.

Things You'll Need

• Gloves
• Tweezers
• Alcohol
• Cotton ball
• Broad-spectrum pesticide spray

Instructions

Handpicking

1. Put on a pair of garden gloves. While neither aphids nor mealybugs are harmful, they might have crawled through something that can irritate the skin.

2. Locate the mealybugs and the aphids by lifting the undersides of the vegetable leaves and inspecting the roots.

3. Grab the insects, using a pair of tweezers, and crush them.

Alcohol

1. Put on a pair of garden gloves.

2. Soak a cotton ball in a solution that is half alcohol and half water.

3. Touch the cotton ball to the aphids or the mealybugs, as the alcohol will kill them. Be careful not to get too much of the solution on the plant itself as it might burn some sensitive plants.

Chemical

1. Choose a broad-spectrum pesticide spray. A broad-spectrum pesticide will eliminate both mealybugs and aphids. Some broad-spectrum pesticides include Danitol, Baythroid, Sevin and Assail.

2. Locate the areas on the vegetables most affected by the pests.

3. Spray only the areas that are affected by aphids and mealybugs. If you spray throughout the garden, you run the risk of destroying helpful insects.

Tips & Warnings

• Test alcohol on a small part of the vegetable plant first to ensure that the alcohol does not burn the plant's leaves.

• Always follow the instructions on any pesticides that you spray in your vegetable garden.

References

• University of Florida: Houseplant Arthropod Pest Management
• The Garden Helper: How to Control the Insects, Bugs and Garden Pests That Can Damage Your Plants
• National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service: Greenhouse IPM: Sustainable Aphid Control
• University of California-Davis: Pests in Gardens and Landscapes