For the past few days I have been on aphid patrol armed with a spray bottle filled with soapy water. I set the spray pattern to be like a powerful jet and use it to blast them off the surface. Wishing everyone a lovely day/evening 
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We don’t often have aphid problems, but if they get out of control I find just washing them off with a spray head on a hosepipe pretty effective. It sometimes takes 2 or 3 attempts before they give up but I prefer it to using insecticides.
Soapy water is, as you say, also effective but I don’t even bother with the soap any more.
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SB Plant Invigorater is excellent. It’s safe, animal friendly, gives the plant a boost and works on insects. Get the concentrate.
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Superb .
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Walked around Sheringham Park, Norfolk this morning. The rhododendrons and azaleas had just gone over but still made quite a display.
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I’ve been researching the SB Plant Invigorator and its mode of action (seems to be physical without purportedly building up resistance) but I can’t find much information on how it is able to differentiate between ‘friend’ and foe. Eventhough the current literature considers it to be non-toxic (for example, thalidomide was given the green light before the devastating health deformaties/consequences that came to light).
My wife and I do not use any chemicals/synthetics in our garden eventhough the farmer (surrounding our property) uses an ‘approved’ herbicide that kills everything apart from the wheat that is being grown (my pond is devoid of frogs/toads/salamanders etc), leading us to believe that the wheat is genetically modified (but still considered ‘safe’ for consumption).
We are both qualified health care practitioners and naturally we have our reservations about new technological/biological (gene edited) advances (that have yet to stand the test of time).
My use of a spray bottle consumes part of my day but it could be considered water efficient (sustainable) and effective at removing ‘unwanted’ aphids that return every year without fail (part of the natural eco-system) that are perhaps prey to ladybirds
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I’m on 
patrol today, removing any cherries that are below par before attaching the sleeves (to protect them from the birds):
Wishing everyone a lovely day/evening
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Well let’s use a bit of common sense here. SB works using natural ingredients to suffocate the insect. If these insects are eaten afterwards, it doesn’t harm the creature. Because it’s physical, there’s nothing for the pest to become resistant to. If you have stems covered in greenfly, etc, spray with this and it kills them safely. This is a spray to be used locally and as I say, with common sense. If I was to saturate a bumble bee with SB, it would most likely kill it. If I was to saturate a bumble bee with fairy liquid, it would most likely kill it. If I was to blast my cloud tree with a hose and it was covered in bumble bees, no doubt many of them would die.
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You are lucky the birds have not stripped them already!
Phil
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The birds around my garden never touch the cherries while they are green, but they will die to get at them as they turn red! I am reluctant to put the protective sleeves on too early as they seem to hinder the ripening process and also encourage rotting of the fruit.
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A snap of the first ‘Darcey Bussell’ rose of the year, taken this evening in the spring rain.
Glorious crimson colour – though only lightly scented, sadly.
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Pineapple broom shrub in our garden, don’t often see these about but look stunning when fully loaded with their blooms.
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Natural does not necessarily equate to being safe because there are many plants that are perhaps natural but poisonous, here is the data sheet from SB:
- Causes skin irritation. Causes serious eye irritation.
Additional precautionary statements:
- Wear protective gloves. If on skin: wash with plenty of soap and water.
- If in eyes: rinse continuously with water…
- Do not eat or smoke when using this product. Keep out of the reach of children.
Point (3) is concerning, “do not eat or smoke when using this product”. Perhaps this is a warning that natural ingredients can also be poisonous?
Wishing you a lovely week
Thanks. I’ve been crushing lupins down to a pulp and drinking it for years. It never clicked why I felt bad most days. I suppose cats feel the same when they drink soya sauce. I wish I had you looking after me all the time.
Just watch the first showing oof the Chelsea Flower Show, I don’t know what they’ve done to Francis Tothill with make -up but she looks bizarre .
Maybe it’s me