I have a beautiful, well established honeysuckle that is covered in aphids! All the blooms are dying off. We've never had problems with them before, but this year they are everywhere. I've sprayed the honeysuckle twice with a spray that's supposed to kill the aphids, but it doesn't seem to be working. Any suggestions on what I can do?

 

The ants just replace the aphids. You can wash them off with a spray from a garden hose, but will have to repeat it daily. The chemical control is just as temporary, but peristence will pay off.

 

So, just keep doing what I'm doing then? How often should I spray the aphids?

 

Follow label directions for application of aphicide. Usually once every week or two is adequate. The thing about aphids is that there is more than one kind. Some of those pesky critters overwinter. Even if you manage to get your honeysuckle aphid free, adults can fly in to re-infest plants in the fall. They lay eggs that overwinter. Prune and burn or dispose of damaged and infested tips in sealed bag. Spraying with dormant oil spray in April is also helpful.

 

Thank you! It's kind of weird that I've never had a problem with this plant until this year. Can you prune honeysuckle back a lot? I haven't really cut anything from it before.

 

You can order ladybugs online. Not only do they eat aphids and other nasty bugs, but they add a nice touch to the garden. From what I've heard they won't harm your plants.

http://gardeningzone.com/catalog/pro...00_adults.html

 

Great idea! I love lady bugs!

 

Most folks don't cut honeysuckle way back unless overgrown and tangled. Fall or winter is best for this. Cut back to about 2 feet. New shoots in spring can be trained in spring. In a couple years flowering should be back to normal. Mulch and fertilizer helps growth. To keep contained, you can clip side shoots or top shoots. If honeysuckle blooms in middle or late summer, pruning is best done in spring if you need to keep it within bounds. Early blooming honeysuckle that blooms on previous year's growth can be pruned back 1/3 in late summer after flowering.

Lady bugs do feed on aphids, but there is no guarantee that they will stay in area where dispersed. According to the Dept. of Agriculture, using shipped-in beetles in your backyard to economically manage pest insects probably is not a wise investment.

 

Here's a couple articles from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture that state otherwise.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archiv...lemagstory.htm
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/benfbugs.html
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/PestMgt.html

Green lacewings are supposed to eat aphids as well, but they're more expensive. I've put ladybugs in my yard, and many of them did disappear, but a healthy population has stuck around. At $5.95 it wasn't much of an investment.