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Getting Started,  Pests & Disease

Organic Aphid Control: 9 Ways to Get Rid of Aphids

Aphids are arguably one of the most common (and frustrating!) pest insects in the garden. Every gardener I know struggles with aphids at some time or another. They are sneaky little buggers and can cause a lot of damage, especially if large populations are left unchecked. Unfortunately, aphids are attracted to a wide variety of plants. However, the good news is that aphids also happen to be one of the easier pests to stop! There are several ways to swiftly get rid of aphids in an organic garden, and keep your plants lookin’ mighty fine. 

Read along to learn 9 ways to get rid of aphids on your garden plants. Some options are preventative in nature, such as implementing strategic companion planting. Other methods involve killing the aphids with physical, biological, or “chemical” means. No matter what route you choose, rest assured that all 8 of these aphid control options are organic!


Before we dive into the ways to get rid of aphids in the garden, let’s briefly familiarize ourselves with these pesky little wankers. Also, please keep in mind that an organic garden is not a perfect one. We always have a few aphids hanging around in ours. The goal is to keep their populations under reasonable control, not necessarily outright eradication. After all, they serve as a source of food for some of the beneficial wildlife in your space!


What are Aphids (what do aphids look like?)


Aphids are tiny, soft-bodied, sap-sucking insects. There are thousands of species of aphids, which can be found all across the globe. Yet aphids are most common and prolific in temperate climates such as ours. Aphids are typically pear-shaped and come in a vast array of colors. Depending on their species and food source, aphids may be grey, green, white, yellow, black, or red. Some are even furry-looking, called wooly aphids. We’ve seen all of the above in our garden!

Young nymph aphids will appear as small “dots” on your plants. As the adult aphids mature, their legs are more visible and they become increasingly mobile. Most aphid species do not have wings, though adult aphids can grow wings in crowded conditions to enhance their ability to travel to new food sources!


The underside of a nasturtium leaf is shown, it is partially covered with many black aphids of varying sizes. Some of the larger aphids have wings, planting trap plants such as nasturtium is a great way to get rid of aphids.
Black aphids of every size, found on the underside of a nasturtium leaf in our garden. Nasturtium is a trap crop for aphids, which we’ll discuss more below. This plant is heavily infested (so much so, that you can see a few of the aphids have developed wings!) and needs to be removed from the garden.


What plants are aphids attracted to?


Aphids will feed on a wide variety of plants, and are especially drawn to tender new growth. They can infest everything from ornamental shrubs and fruit trees to various vegetable crops. In terms of veggies, they seem favor the brassica family including kale, collard greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage. In our garden, aphids are also highly attracted to milkweed, swiss chard, carrot greens, citrus tree leaves, and leafy greens like spinach or lettuce. We don’t grow roses, but I’ve heard they can be a real problem there too.

Different species of aphids flock to different plants! For instance, we find yellow aphids on our milkweed, grey aphids on brassicas, black aphids on swiss chard and nasturtium, green aphids on our citrus and lettuce, and wooly aphids on our apple tree.


A top portion of a tropical milkweed plant is shown with two additional branches blurred out in the background behind the branch in focus. The branches are covered in orange aphids, some of them packed tightly together like corn kernels on an ear of corn. Little black specks which are their legs are visible amongst the orange bodies. There is a horizontal fence that is the backdrop.
A heavy infestation of yellow aphids on a milkweed plant. When treating milkweed for aphids, I temporarily take off any monarch caterpillars present, perform the aphid treatment (blasting with plain water most often) and then put the caterpillars back.


How Aphids Damage Plants


Aphids colonize on their chosen host plant, forming clusters and reproducing rapidly.  As do other sap-sucking insects, aphids pierce plant leaves and stems with their mouthparts to suck sap, nutrients, and moisture from the plant. The initial damage is mostly aesthetic and localized, causing yellowing and/or curling leaves. However, a heavy population of feeding aphids can cause stress, nutrient deficiency, stunted growth, and in extreme cases, death to the infected plant. The younger the plant, the more susceptible to lasting damage it is. Some species of aphids inject a toxin into the plant as they chew, causing further leaf curl, discoloration, and growth issues. 

In addition to sucking on plant tissues, aphids also emit a sticky, gooey secretion called honeydew. As aphid honeydew coats the surface of plant leaves, there is an increased risk for the development of sooty mold. Sooty mold is a general term for several types of fungus that grows on honeydew. The mold itself doesn’t technically “infect” the plants, but can inhibit photosynthesis in heavily coated leaves. Sooty mold is also considered undesirable and unsightly on prized ornamental plants, such as rose bushes. 

Last but not least, the honeydew that aphids leave behind draws the attention of other insects and pests. In particular, ants love aphid honeydew. Ants aren’t all that attracted (or harmful) to garden plants themselves, so if you see a lot of ant activity on your plants, that is a very good indicator that an aphid infestation may be underway! In fact, ants love aphid honeydew so much that they actually “farm” aphids. The ants gather around, protect the aphid colony and the host plant, and even physically caress the aphids to increase honeydew production – effectively “milking” the aphids! Crazy, right?


A close up image of three ants sitting on top of aphids on a plant limb. They are milking the aphids of "honeydew".
Ant: “My precioussss”
Image courtesy of TreeHugger (via Shutterstock)


Choosing an organic aphid control method


As you can see, aphids suck – literally! Now, let’s dive deeper into the many ways to prevent, kill or otherwise get rid of aphids. As you read through the options below, you may ask yourself – but which trick should I try? That depends on the severity of the problem, what resources you have available, and personal preference. Minor infestations can easily be managed by hand, with your garden hose, or through preventative measures. On the other hand, you may want to call in the soap or neem oil if the problem persists.

You’ll also want to consider the type of plant. For example, I personally do not love spraying neem oil directly on the edible portion of plants like leafy greens or a head of broccoli. While neem is organic and safe, it has the tendency to leave an oily residue behind that isn’t easy to wash off. Yet it works really well on the general foliage of squash plants, tomatoes, eggplant, ornamentals, and more! With time and experimentation, you’ll figure out which methods work best for you and your garden.


9 ORGANIC WAYS TO KILL OR GET RID OF APHIDS


1) Inspect Your Plants Regularly


Become a pest detective! One of the best ways to organically control aphids is to catch them early on. Then, every other method we’ll discuss today is exponentially easier and more effective. Your plants will also be more likely to rebound with little-to-no ill effects thereafter. 

Make it part of your garden routine to regularly inspect your plants (e.g. weekly), which is something I suggest to manage all sorts of garden pests – not just aphids! Be sure to check the underside of leaves, and also in the centermost tender parts where new growth is. For example, I most often find aphids in the very middle of a kale plant, in a just-budding broccoli head, or other tight and protected places. 

Also train your eye to recognize signs of aphid damage, before you even see the aphids themselves. Check out the photo below; I spotted the unusually crumpled section of that broccoli leaf from 10 feet away! Low and behold, aphids were clustered and feeding on the under there, out of plain sight. I smushed them right away.


A three way image collage, the first image shows a broccoli leaf from afar, an edge of the leaf is curled over unlike the rest of the leaf. There is a photoshopped circle that has been drawn around this portion of leaf to point out the curl. In the background are various broccoli and cauliflower plant leaves. The second image shows an index finer and thumb opening the curled leaf to show the aphids that were hidden below the curled leaf. The aphids are grey in color and there is a decent cluster on a discolored portion of the curled leaf. The third image shows the curled portion of leaf after they have been smushed and sprayed off to remove them from the plant. The leaf is free of pests and now looks to be in better condition. Squishing and removing is a great way to get rid of aphids.


2) Squish & Remove (Prune)


When you come across a small cluster of aphids, the most quick and easy way to get rid of them is to simply squish them by hand. Gently pinch, smush and wipe the leaf or stem free of aphids. I do it all the time! Now, this method may not be ideal for the squeamish, but it sure does stop them – right then and there. Because the residue from dead smashed aphid bodies is quite sticky, I usually like to hose off the area with water after the massacre. 

Another easy way to quickly get rid of aphids is to cut out the infected area (when possible). If the aphid population is concentrated on just a few leaves, a small branch a tree can live without, or other non-essential section of the plant, prune it off and dispose of it away from your garden. When it comes to something like kale or tomatoes, be sure you aren’t pruning off the terminal bud – the primary growth tip that is usually in the top/middle of the plant. If you cut that away, the plant will essentially stop growing.


3) Spray Off with Water


This is another go-to method that we use to get rid of aphids, often used in conjunction with the squish method. Simply hit the aphid colony with a good hard blast of water from your garden hose! (Don’t spray so hard that it damages your plant of course.) A firm stream of water accomplishes several things: One, it physically removes the aphids from your plants. Two, the blast of water pressure may actually kill the tender soft-bodied aphids on impact. Three, the water helps remove accumulated honeydew. 


4) Homemade Soap Spray (or Insecticidal Soap)


One of the few “sprays” we use in our organic garden is a basic homemade soap spray. There are also many pre-made organic insecticidal soaps available, but they include a bunch of other ingredients. Alternatively, you can make your own simple and pure DIY soap spray using just two ingredients: soap and water. Pure castile soap is the best choice for making soap spray, and it won’t harm your plants when used correctly. We use Dr. Bronner’s castile soap. This peppermint Dr. Bronner’s soap provides a further line of defense, since peppermint deters pests too! 

Soap sprays work to kill aphids by disrupting their cell membrane. Essentially, it coats and penetrates their natural protective barrier, causing them to desiccate – or dry out. Insect soap spray has little-to-no residual effect. It only kills on direct contact, so be sure to spray it right on the target pests. Turn over or peel open curled-up leaves as needed to reach the aphids. Soap spray is also useful to control other soft-bodied insects like mealybugs, spider mites, white flies, psyllids, and scale. However, soap does not harm beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings or bees, nor is it effective against caterpillars.

To create your own homemade insect soap spray, simply combine 1 tablespoon of liquid soap per quart of water. For a larger batch, use 5 to 6 tablespoons per gallon of water. Use warm water and shake it up in your sprayer to thoroughly mix. To learn more, I highly suggest reading our article all about DIY soap spray before using it in your garden. While mild, there is some risk of sun-burning your plants if applied incorrectly or at the wrong time of day!


A two way image collage, the first image shows an aphid infested tropical milkweed plant with a hand holding a spray bottle next to it. The second image shows a close up image of a section of the plant after it has been sprayed with soap spray. There are visible suds lining up and down the plant, covering the aphids that remain on the plant. Using soap spray is a great way to get rid of aphids when they have colonized a plant.
See our DIY soap spray recipe & application instructions here. After applying a good layer of soap and letting it sit, I wash it off with water.


5) Encourage Beneficial Insects that Eat Aphids


Use bugs to fight bugs! Some insects are not desirable around our plants (I’m looking at you, aphids) while others we welcome with open arms. Ladybugs, green lacewings, and praying pantis are terrific natural predators of aphids and other small soft-bodied pest insects. With enough of them around, beneficial insects can definitely be a huge help with organic aphid control in your space.

Ladybugs in particular are ferocious predators of aphids. According to the Planet Natural Research Center, a ladybug can eat up to 50 aphids a day. That means that during its lifetime, a single ladybug is capable of consuming up to 5,000 aphids! During the early stages of their life, ladybug larvae are the most effective at controlling aphid populations. Yet ladybug larvae look significantly different than their adult form (see the photos below). Therefore, make sure you know how to recognize these good guys in the garden, and don’t mistake them for pests!


A four part image collage, the first image show a lady bug larvae on the tip of a plant leaf, the second image shows fuzzy mealybugs and aphids on the bottom of a leaf, with a black and orange ladybug larvae eating them.The third image shows a ladybug larvae eating orange aphids (garden pests) on our milkweed, the fourth image shows an adult lady bug eating grey aphids on flowering kale.
All of these images are ladybugs, at various stages in their lifecycle. Do not confuse the mini alligator-looking ladybug larvae for a pest! They’re one of the best beneficial insects of them all.


Green lacewings also readily consume aphids, though not at quite the same incredible rate that ladybugs do. An average green lacewing larvae may consume around 200 aphids (or other prey) per week.

To boost their populations, many gardeners buy and release beneficial insects. We used to release ladybugs in our garden each year, but now have a sufficient natural population that we no longer need to. If you do go this route, ensure you’re buying native American ladybugs and not invasive Asian lady beetles! Here is a trusted source for the right ladybugs, and here is a great source for green lacewings.


Tips for Releasing Ladybugs

When you release your ladybugs, here are a few tips to ensure they stick around. They have a reputation for flying off!

  • When they arrive, store the ladybugs in the refrigerator until that evening. This slows down their metabolism and activity, but is totally safe.
  • Release ladybugs that evening, just after the sun goes down.
  • Thoroughly wet the plants that you are going to place them on first.
  • Ensure you release them near a food source, e.g. aphids.
  • If you order a large amount, place them in a few different locations throughout your garden.


Some may still fly away, but if you follow these tricks, plenty should stick around too! After we release ours, they may not be as concentrated in the area that we originally put them, but we definitely notice an increase in the ladybug population around our garden in general. If you can get them to stick around long enough to lay eggs and then hatch new larvae, then the feast will really begin! Also, don’t be alarmed if there are a few dead ladybugs in your purchased container. It happens.

Other ways to encourage beneficial insects in your garden is to maintain it in an organic manner, use companion planting, and practice polyculture.


A close up image of a green lacewing resting on the face of a bright orange and yellow sunflower head. The pollen from the flower petals is visible amongst the beneficial insect.
A green lacewing perched in a sunflower at sundown. Lacewings are most active at dawn, dusk, and even into the night time, so don’t fret if you don’t see them in your garden during the day!


6) Companion Planting & Polyculture


Growing a wide variety of plants creates biodiversity in your garden. This is a way to maintain balance, and also attract more beneficial insects. Additionally, variety and polyculturethe term for mixing many types of plants in one small space – reduces the chances of widespread devastation by pests that are all attracted to the same crop. Meaning, it may not be the best idea to plant an entire garden bed full of just broccoli and kale. That sounds like an aphid hay-day to me! 

I highly suggest interplanting companion plants with your pest-prone crops. For example, tuck in aromatic plants like onions, garlic, leeks, catmint, marigolds, dill, fennel, and/or cilantro around your other garden veggies – all known to deter aphids! I have successfully kept swiss chard plants naturally aphid-free (usually aphid-magnets) by planting onions around and between the chard.

On the other hand, some companion plants can serve as a “trap crop” and attract aphids – while luring them away from your veggies! Nasturtiums are a prime example. Aphids absolutely love nasturtiums. However, be sure to periodically remove infested trap crop plants to prevent a booming population of aphids in your garden. Or, manually remove and kill the aphids from the trap crops.

For more information on companion planting combinations and natural pest deterrents, be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive a free garden planning toolkit! There is a detailed companion planting chart included in the toolkit.


A raised garden bed full of swiss chard planted amongst onions. There is also nasturtium and passion fruit vines in the rear of the bed. There are various flowering plants amidst a green sea of plants in the background beyond.
A prime polyculture example. This is one section of our patio garden, planted with leafy greens like tat soi, mustard greens and swiss chard (all commonly infested by aphids) with companion plants of onions to deter them from the greens, and nasturtium nearby to lure them in instead.


7) Neem Oil Spray


If you’ve been around the garden block, you’ve surely heard of neem oil. It is a plant-based concentrated oil, extracted from the seeds of the India-native neem tree. Neem oil is particularly effective against small soft-bodied insects like aphids, thrips, spider mites, mealybugs, scale, and white flies. The oil coats their bodies and smothers them – or otherwise interferes with reproduction and feeding. Like soap spray, neem oil will kill aphids most readily when it is sprayed directly on them.

The active ingredient in neem oil (Azadirachtin) is also a general pest insect repellent. Therefore, routinely treating plants may help prevent an aphid infestation in the first place, or stop them from readily coming back. On the other hand, neem oil is not toxic to bees when used correctly. Other beneficial insects like ladybugs, earthworms, parasitic wasps, spiders, or adult butterflies also are not negatively effected by neem – especially if they aren’t directly sprayed with it!

You can find “neem oil” sold either as concentrated 100% pure neem oil, a concentrated neem oil containing other ingredients, or pre-mixed, ready-to-use spray. Personally, we prefer to use this 100% pure organic cold-pressed neem oil and mix our own spray. It is the most cost-effective and safe. Furthermore, one pre-mixed neem oil product line was recently found to be contaminated with several nasty pesticides that weren’t included on the label, including Malathion, Chlorpyrifos, and Permethrin! Yuck. 

In all, neem oil can be a great non-toxic and useful product to organically control aphids – when it is applied properly! See this detailed article for more information about how to mix and use neem oil correctly. 


A hand is using a small handheld pump sprayer to spray an artichoke plant that is infected with aphids. The artichoke is planted in a half wine barrel amongst bark mulch ground cover, various shrubs, flowering annuals, and perennials.
Concentrated neem oil MUST be properly diluted, emulsified, mixed, and applied at the right time of day to be effective and not harm your plants. Read more about using neem oil here.


8) Plant Purple & Red Varieties 


Did you know that pests are less attracted to red and purple vegetables? They sure are! Year after year, the purple cauliflower, purple cabbage, and red kale in our garden is significantly less damaged by aphids and cabbage worms than their green counterparts. One reasonable theory is that pests can’t blend in and hide as easily on brightly-colored purple vegetables as they can on green ones. That would make them an easy target for predators.

Furthermore, studies show that anthocyanin (the antioxidant-rich flavonoid that makes red, purple and blue-pigmented veggies so good for us!) is actually mildly toxic to some insects. It may even deter larger pests like squirrels! Therefore, try selecting and planting red and purple veggies as one way organic way to control aphids. 


A hand is holding a head of purple cauliflower which shows portions of white on the inside edges of the head. Beyond that lies foxtail ferns, hummingbird sage, and rosemary planted out in borders along a gravel walkway.
Purple of Sicily cauliflower – unscathed by aphids, while our green broccoli right next to it was hit hard!


9) Hoops & Row Covers 


One final organic aphid control method is to physically block their access to plants. Individual plants, raised beds, or sections thereof can be shrouded with row covers. Also called “floating row covers”, their purpose is to block out or otherwise protect plants from undesirable elements. Some row covers are designed to stop insects, while others are used for shade or frost protection. 

I put this option last on the list intentionally. We absolutely love using hoops and row covers as a means for organic pest control in our garden. However, because aphids are so dang tiny, hoops and row covers aren’t always 100% effective at keeping those little suckers out. If you cover young plants early on, and use the right type of fine row covers with it tucked in tightly around the edges, they can certainly help. Read all about using hoops and row covers in the garden here, including details on various hoop and cover material options. 


Five raised garden beds are shown sitting amongst a sea of flowering plants for pollinators such as calendula, zinnia, marigold, lavender, and salvia. Three of the garden beds are affixed with hoops and row covers which are protecting the young plants beneath from pests.


And that is how to get rid of aphids, in a natural and organic manner!


In closing, I hope this article gave you plenty of new ideas of how you can get rid of aphids in your own garden. As you can see, there are tons of effective options – and most of them are very quick and simple! Not sure where to start? Experiment with a few methods, and then come back to let me know how it goes. Thanks for tuning in, and best of luck!


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22 Comments

  • Christine

    LOVE your website. You guys are so knowledgeable and have helped me so much! My new favorite website. Anyhoo, while I’ve noticed a few pests on my pollinator plants, I have also noticed spiders, which is good. Will the Castile soap mixture harm the spiders. I cannot find the answer anywhere! Thanks so much!

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Christine, thank you so much for the kind words and support. I am unsure if it kills spiders but when using the soap spray it is good to only spray on the target areas as to not spray any non target insects that may be around. Usually spiders will leave an area once they notice movement that is larger than they care to deal with. Hope that helps and good luck!

  • Jan

    Very informative post! Damnit, I killed two ladybug larvae today not knowing what they were. I feel terrible. Thank you for the pics. I know better now!

  • Jennifer

    Hi, Thanks for a ver informative website! I was wondering what do you suggest for herb plants? Do you avoid neem oil mixtures on them as well as you do on edible greens? What do you suggest? Thanks in advance!

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Jennifer, we typically avoid using neem oil foliar sprays on herbs and leafy green vegetables. Try using a good stream of water from the garden hose or sprayer to knock them off, it really works quite well. Just use caution as to not destroy your herb plants with the hard stream, especially if they are more tender. Hope that helps and good luck!

  • Weston

    Many people think that the health benefits of black tea are limited to its antioxidant content. While it is true that black tea does contain antioxidants, it doesn’t mean that it has no other benefits.

  • Alyssa

    Ants farming aphids was a new one I learned earlier this season! Had big issue on my rhubarb plant. Have you heard of Braconid Wasps parasitizing aphids (also referred to as mummifying them) by laying eggs in them? I’ve been fighting a green peach aphid infestation the past week and thought I had a white aphid problem too. Turned out I was thwarting a fellow aphid fighting ally! Very cool though- definitely going to start leaving those fat white ones on the plants!

      • DeannaCat

        Hey there – I left DE off because I don’t usually like to directly dust plant foliage with it, and prefer to use it around the soil or base of plants (where aphids aren’t hanging out…), but yes you’re right that is another option! Ironically I am writing a post dedicated to DE at the moment. Maybe I will amend this one. Thanks for reading!

  • Oriana

    I’ve started using a pastry brush to get into the hard to reach places like around tender flower buds and deep vein crevices. Works just like a fingernail without breaking the young plant.

  • Sonja

    Awesome article Deanna!! For those who can legally grow cannabis too I’ve heard it deters aphids very well, especially in greenhouse gardens… 👌🏻

  • Stephanie

    Such good info!! And lots of things I have never thought of before! You make my gardening experiences so much easier with all of your resources!!! Thankful for you!!

  • Dominik

    Hi DeannaCat,

    i read black tea would help as well.
    The tanning agent shall kill them quite fast?!

    Have you tried that or do you think this might help?!

    Greetings from the other Side of the World.

    • DeannaCat

      Hi Dominik – I haven’t heard of using black tea for aphids, but now you have me curious! I will have to look in to that more. Thanks for stopping by!

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