Question
My new planting of GGA seem to be infested with aphids (small white/grey flying insects) What is the best treatment for this problem

Answer
The most common systemic insecticide available to homeowners is Orthene (acephate). Cygon (dimethoate) also may be available as a spray for use on evergreens.

Some insecticides can be applied to the soil and taken up by the roots of the plants. These are called systemic insecticides. The most recent, Imidacloprid, is sold under the trade name Bayer Advanced Garden Tree & Shrub Killer Concentrate. (Merit is the trade name of imidacloprid used by professional tree care companies.) It is applied as a drench over the root zone. An older梐nd much more toxic梥oil systemic insecticide that is still available for some ornamental plant uses is DiSyston (disulfoton). DiSyston is sold as granules or in plant food mixtures for soil application.


There are several insecticides effective for aphid control when sprayed on plants. Perhaps most effective are those with systemic activity that allows them to move through the plant. Acephate (Isotox, Orthene) is the most widely available systemic insecticide.