The Popular Summer Fruit That Could Be Luring Aphids To Your Garden

Aphids can be the bane of your summer garden. These pesky little bugs feast on a range of vegetation and can do a surprising amount of damage. Even worse, they often transmit diseases. One unexpected fruit that could be attracting aphids into your garden is the humble, productive cucumber. You don't need to ditch your vines, but knowing they're a favorite can help you catch an infestation early.

Different species specialize in attacking different plants, but the green peach, melon, and potato aphid types all feast on cucumbers. Even if you start out growing healthy cucumbers, once your vines start producing runners, the pests are likely to appear. Keep an eye out for sooty mold on leaves, as it can be a sign of aphids. A large number of ants can also suggest their presence, as these insects enjoy eating the honeydew that the tiny bugs make. This sticky film can be unsightly, but that's not the only reason to address an infestation. These garden invaders damage leaves,  prevent fruit from growing well, and can transmit cucumber mosaic virus, which might kill the whole plant. 

Fortunately, you can address this problem by encouraging their natural predators and killing or removing them. The earlier you catch an aphid invasion, the easier it is to keep your cucumber vines productive.

One of the best ways to keep aphids to a minimum is to encourage the presence of ladybugs and parasitic wasps, as they feed on them. Avoid using broad-spectrum insecticides since they can kill these helpful predators. Instead, grow plants that attract beneficial bugs, like fennel, cosmos, and sweet alyssum. 

If you're still dealing with large numbers of aphids on your cucumbers after adding helpful plantings, you can try simply pulling out your garden hose and spraying them away. You'll likely have to repeat this on a regular basis, but it should help keep your cucumber plants relatively aphid-free. You can also cut off any leaves that are especially infested. Another interesting strategy is to try using a reflective silver mulch or covering your garden beds with aluminum foil. The light that bounces off the shiny surfaces can make it hard for them to find their host.

Treating your cucumbers with insecticidal soaps and rosemary oil can be useful if the aphid population is extremely large. Be aware, though, that these bugs often become resistant to insecticides. They can also harm beneficial insects. So be sure to use extreme caution if you decide to use them.