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How to Get Rid Of Aphids

Getting Rid of Aphids Naturally Without Using Harsh Chemicals

100's of yellow Aphids each a plant's leaves and stem

Learn how to get rid of Aphids before they devour your garden. Large masses swarm your plants, overwhelming and eventually killing them. So watch for the signs and treat them as soon as possible.


What are Aphids?

Lots of green Aphids eating a red stem.

They are soft body, sap-sucking insects with many different species (around 600 in Canada) all varying in colour from green to black to grey to  yellow and more.

They are very tiny insects that will devour your plant's leaves, stems and flowers.

These sap-sucking garden pests will also pass along viruses to other plants in your garden.

Aphids have a very fast reproduction rate and are sometimes born pregnant. They can produce several generations in one growing season.

If you have these common garden pests it’s a great indicator of an unbalanced fertility and most commonly is an excess of nitrogen.


If you're not sure if it’s aphids attacking your garden, look for these signs:

  • Curling, damages or yellow leaves
  • A sticky substance called Honeydew is left on leaves and stems and can drop on anything below it and honeydew also attracts ants
  • Black branches and leaves can be caused from the Honeydew which develops into a sooty mold
  • Deformed flowers and fruit


How to Get Rid of Aphids

Here are some ways of getting rid of Aphids from around your yard. Including using an Aphid killer like ladybugs.


Ladybug eating black aphids

- Rub the leaves and stems with your fingers – because they have soft bodies, just rubbing them will kill these pests and scare away any that you miss

- Blast the leaves with water – spraying the top and underside of the leaves will knock them off the plant

- Insecticidal soap – mix a small amount of Dawn dish detergent with water and apply with a sponge or spray bottle

- Applying Neem oil with pump sprayer will help get rid of Aphids

- Homemade aphid control; mix 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water and spray any where you see these insects

- Place pieces of banana peel on the ground; they don’t like the gases that come from the peeling

- Sprinkle some flour on the leaves. This will cause constipation and therefore killing them

- Sprinkle calcium around the base of your plants

- Release an Aphid killer (ladybug, green lacewing) into your garden on infected perennials and shrubs

- Place a piece of aluminum foil around base of plants causing light to bounce around on the underside of leaves repelling these pests

- Growing healthy and happy plants will also help keep common pests away


Yellow Aphids on a green stem of a plant.

Steps to Preventing Garden Pests


  • Invite Ladybugs, green lacewing or parasitic wasps  to your garden. These beneficial insects love nectar rich plants 
  • Marigolds and catnip are great to have around your yard to keep pests away. Nasturtium plant will also repel Aphids.
  • Garlic, onions and chives repel a lot of common pests from roses and vegetables


Red flowers and round leaves of a Nasturtium plant that helps keep Aphids away.Nasturtium plant


As you can see, there are a lot of different ways to get rid of Aphids. I have rubbed the leaves and stems with my gloved fingers and sprayed them with a strong spray of water and both have worked great.


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