Neighbor's 3-word tip saved my balcony peppers from aphids

Last spring my Thai chili plants were covered in aphids. I was about to toss them when my neighbor, an old guy who grows everything in buckets, watched me spray soap water. He just said, 'crush them first.' So I started squishing aphids between my fingers every morning for a week, then used the soap spray as a follow-up. It worked way better than spraying alone because the dead bugs don't come back. Has anyone else tried hand-squashing before spraying, or is that just a lazy guy's trick?

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leo_campbell29d ago

Yeah squishing works but you gotta be thorough about it. I do the pinch method too, but I also run my thumb along the stem where the little bastards cluster, that smears the eggs and nymphs that soap alone won't touch. Takes like five minutes a day for a week and then you're basically done. Also do it in the morning when they're sluggish, cooler temps make them easier to catch before they scatter. And don't forget the undersides of the leaves, that's where they hide while you're busy squishing the ones on top.