How much soap to add to hose sprayer
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Usa
Posts: 34
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
How much soap to add to hose sprayer
Hello,
I have had a problem with aphids and ants on my poor Dwarf Tangerine Tree. I need to spray it with soapy water to get the built up dirt, and sticky stuff the aphids left on the leaves. I just have the 1 tree. Would this be good for my geraniums too ?
I don't know how much liquid soap to add to my hose sprayer and at what setting should I spray. The hose sprayer goes from 0 to 10 numbers.
Any help would be appreciated.
Glenda
San Diego County, [Inland], Calif Zone 9 I think
I have had a problem with aphids and ants on my poor Dwarf Tangerine Tree. I need to spray it with soapy water to get the built up dirt, and sticky stuff the aphids left on the leaves. I just have the 1 tree. Would this be good for my geraniums too ?
I don't know how much liquid soap to add to my hose sprayer and at what setting should I spray. The hose sprayer goes from 0 to 10 numbers.
Any help would be appreciated.
Glenda
San Diego County, [Inland], Calif Zone 9 I think
#2
Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: somewhere down in texas
Posts: 488
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Are you trying to smother the aphids with soapy water or "wash" your plants? If you kill the aphids the plants should recover on their own. I think the ants are a probably just there for the honey dew the aphids leave. kill aphids, problem solved.
#3
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 185
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Ladybugs love to eat aphids. If you're looking for another solution, some garden shops sell ladybugs. Spray your plants down with water so they are moist and after the sun sets release your ladybugs on your plant. If you do this, look up to see what ladybug larva look like. They are ugly little things that you don't want to kill because they are beneficial, too.
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Usa
Posts: 34
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Yes the leaves look very dirty(black) from the aphids. I wanted to first get all the dirt off and then spray for the aphids.
thanks...........just wondering how much soap to use.
Glenda
thanks...........just wondering how much soap to use.
Glenda
#5
Here is an article from our local paper. This is from the Master Gardeners at our local extension office. Good info....homemade soap spray recipe near the bottom.
Aphids are a pain, but infestations can be handled - Kingman Daily Miner - Kingman, Arizona
Aphids are a pain, but infestations can be handled - Kingman Daily Miner - Kingman, Arizona
#6
Oops....just saw you wanted to use a hose end sprayer. What brand and model of sprayer...I may be able to find the mixing ratios of it.
#8
#9
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wet side of Washington state.
Posts: 16,321
Received 38 Upvotes
on
30 Posts
It takes very little soap so I would suggest maybe a teaspoon full in the sprayer cup with the rest water. Adjust the dilution control to maximum dilution and try it on the driveway. If you get billows of suds you have way too much soap, if you get no suds at all then slowly reduce the dilution control until you get just the slightest hint of suds and then back off (more dilution) one number. Adjust the amount of soap in the cup as necessary to obtain these results.
#10
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Usa
Posts: 34
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts