The cherry laurel secretes sweet plant juices from the nectar glands on the underside of the leaves, which magically attract many insects and aphids. Thanks to the nutritious secretion, the pests multiply rapidly and form large colonies under favorable conditions. So that the lice do not cause massive damage to the plants, it is advisable to take quick and courageous action against the black, green or brown insects.
How do you fight aphids on cherry laurel?
To combat aphids on cherry laurel, you can spray the affected parts with water, use beneficial insects such as ladybirds, use environmentally friendly home remedies such as soft soap or nettle decoction or, in the case of severe infestations, use chemical insecticides that protect beneficial insects.
Fighting aphids in an environmentally friendly way
If only a single bush of a laurel cherry hedge is infested with aphids, it is usually enough to rinse the insects off with a hard jet of water. Since the flightless animals cannot overcome long distances on their own, the risk of repopulation is negligible.
Release beneficial insects
Beneficial insects such as lacewing larvae, parasitic wasps or the seven-spot ladybird naturally support you in combating aphids on cherry laurel. You can get the insects specially bred for natural pest control in tightly sealing packaging from specialist retailers.
Sprays with plant manure or soft soap
Soap is a proven and environmentally friendly home remedy for combating lice. Dissolve one tablespoon of soap and one tablespoon of mineral spirits in one liter of water and pour the mixture into a sprayer. Spray the aphids regularly with this solution (€4.00 on Amazon).
Alternatively, nettle decoction has proven to be very effective. Pour a liter of boiling water over about 100 grams of plant material and let the brew steep for about a day. Wet the top and bottom of the leaves evenly with this home remedy. If you have more time, you can make an even more effective nettle manure. However, this has to steep for one to two weeks and smells a bit unpleasant.
Chemical sprays
If the infestation is very severe, it is sometimes unavoidable to use the chemical baton. When using insecticides, be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions so as not to pollute nature more than is absolutely necessary. In order not to endanger beneficial insects such as bees and bumblebees, you should only use products that protect the beneficial insects.
Tips & Tricks
The saponins contained in ivy or chestnuts also help against aphids on cherry laurel. Make a decoction of about fifteen crushed chestnuts or fifty ivy leaves and a liter of water and sprinkle the pests with this solution (€4.00 on Amazon).