FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hey all,

Sadly, it appears my carnivorous plants are starting to attract aphids. So far, I only see like 1 or 2 on a few of my plants, and I've been spraying my plants with neem oil as a result. I've checked the leaves on top and bottom, and gone over my plants super closely, but I've only seen one or two per plant, and they're like big and green.

Should I just dunk them in water for 48 hours instead like some people say? Or is it better to just keep spritzing them with neem oil?

IMO Pick em off if possible and then dunk it. Don’t use substances unless you have to.

The choice is yours.
I agree that you should try non chemical methods first, but that's my opinion. Also, there aren't many people that have reported any measure of success with neem oil. I don't know if it's just not being used/applied properly, hopefully you have better results. However, Bioadvanced 3 in 1 has a much better success rate in my experience, and according to others.
Try submerging, it can't hurt, because I guarantee that if you saw two aphids that there are more by at least a factor of ten.

ChefDean wrote: ↑Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:47 am The choice is yours.
I agree that you should try non chemical methods first, but that's my opinion. Also, there aren't many people that have reported any measure of success with neem oil. I don't know if it's just not being used/applied properly, hopefully you have better results. However, Bioadvanced 3 in 1 has a much better success rate in my experience, and according to others.
Try submerging, it can't hurt, because I guarantee that if you saw two aphids that there are more by at least a factor of ten.

Sounds good, I submerged them into the water and I'll see what happens, one of the plants I have is one of those grocery store ones that was grown in like that nutrient gel so its exploding in growth and has formed a tiny bush thing, so its impossible to check it out for aphids, so I just dunked it in.

I also noticed weird spider webbing on one of my other Lowes plants, not sure if its spider mites or anything, and I did see aphids on it, so I just dunked those into the water as well, just better be safe than sorry I think.

For Bioadvanced 3 in 1, do you have any advice on how to use it properly so I don't kill my plants, in case it comes to that? Do you just spray it once on the leaves?

Nikson wrote: For Bioadvanced 3 in 1, do you have any advice on how to use it properly so I don't kill my plants, in case it comes to that? Do you just spray it once on the leaves?

I just got mine and sprayed it on the affected areas and in the growth point. The aphids were gone in a matter of a day and a half. However, if you have plants in smaller pots than mine (mine are 9 inch x 9 inch) than I'd rather submerge them.

Are your plants VFTs? I diluted my Bioadvanced 3 in 1 until it was about 100ppm, then sprayed my VFTs weekly until I was sure there were no more bugs. I'm not sure if it is safe to use on drosera.

I have also used 100% neem oil, brushed onto the affected plants (again only VFTs) with a q-tip. It worked but took a long time.

Carnies wrote: ↑Tue Apr 26, 2022 8:54 pm

Nikson wrote: For Bioadvanced 3 in 1, do you have any advice on how to use it properly so I don't kill my plants, in case it comes to that? Do you just spray it once on the leaves?

I just got mine and sprayed it on the affected areas and in the growth point. The aphids were gone in a matter of a day and a half. However, if you have plants in smaller pots than mine (mine are 9 inch x 9 inch) than I'd rather submerge them.

Got it, so just hit the bugs and the growth point. And yeah, mine are 4.5 inch x 6 inch pots, like the plastic Bonnie containers you get for free with each vegetable you buy from Home Depot lol. I dunked them in water.

I was just curious because I don't really have enough distilled or rainwater to fully dunk all my plants in. My tap water is just 30 PPM so I dunked them in there. I'll take them out and flush out the soil from the top after I get them out tomorrow, I think. That should work hopefully?

elaineo wrote: ↑Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:28 pm Are your plants VFTs? I diluted my Bioadvanced 3 in 1 until it was about 100ppm, then sprayed my VFTs weekly until I was sure there were no more bugs. I'm not sure if it is safe to use on drosera.

I have also used 100% neem oil, brushed onto the affected plants (again only VFTs) with a q-tip. It worked but took a long time.

Yeah the afflicted plants are all VFTs. I do have Sarracenia, a cape drosera, and a drosera binata multifada outside as well, but no aphids on them at all.

For the main VFTs one is growing like a vertical leaf going straight up opening into a trap, and I noticed one of those big, green winged aphids on it a few days ago. I pinched it off and crushed it. For my 3 smaller VFTs, I noticed 1 or 2 aphids clinging onto the flowers growing out of the center of the plants. I picked them out and crushed them as well, but decided to just dunk the plants in the water anyways in the end.

I know you're trying to avoid chemicals, but aphids are endemic where I live. They hide in trees and shrubs, and get blown around by the wind. Wash the aphids off and they come right back. So I prefer the sprays that make the plants toxic to aphids.