Aphids and Lady Bugs

Post date: May 1, 2020 11:38:10 PM

Uma Sashikanth

These onions were given by a friend. They aren’t native to Atlanta. Tiny ones like our Madras onions.

I sowed them early Feb. In pots and ground. They did well initially. But have been lately stressed.

When a plant doesn’t have ideal growing conditions - soil, temperature, moisture - it will show signs of weakness. Very common for first generation aliens crops growing in a strange climate that is not in their genetic code.

A stressed plant will get pests. It is the nature’s law to only let the fit survive. So the tiny black aphids came in. I saw them even as I saw the tips browning. A sign off water stress. Maybe there is too much moisture.

I can’t spray water to dislodge the aphids. I will make the moisture problem worse.

And then they came. Half a dozen lady bugs. Now feasting on the aphids and decimating them. They came because I have nasturtiums growing near by.

Tiny pests are beat managed by their predators. Ensure your yard has a mix of crops. The predators will take care of the plants.

The lady bugs have given me a window to manage these plants. Next weeks dry spell will help. One round of drying out the soil will sort it all out. Hopefully.

PS: The next generation of this plant will have all the information about this growing environment, and do better.

The black dots you see are the onion aphids. The red bigger dots are the lady bugs.