Winter Pest Treatment: How to Spot & Stop Aphids Early

The other day while I was in the yard scouting for problems, which I do on a regular basis, I noticed something different with the watercress in my floating system. The leaves looked smaller than usual and slightly cupped.

Smaller, cupped leaves

Luckily, the problem could be seen with the naked eye—aphids! As I looked closer, I noticed even the plant that looked healthy had something going on in the bud. Also aphids!

Healthy plant, aphids in the bud

We have had several nights reach the mid-20s this winter, so this is evidence that pests can survive and overwinter in plants.

Aphids: The Tiny Pests That Multiply Fast

Aphids are piercing, sucking pests. Luckily, they are soft-bodied, which makes them easier to control than some other pests if you identify them early.

The biggest issue with aphids is that they are born pregnant—yes, you heard me, pregnant! This allows them to reproduce within days of their birth, depending on the weather conditions. They tend to like the tender parts of the plant, like the buds and under the leaves, which can hide them better. Because aphids reproduce so quickly, you must diligently watch for them to reemerge.

So remember to look under the leaves and in the buds when you see something fishy going on with your plants, or just when checking your plants in general because the aphids or other pests could be lurking!

Fighting Aphids: Natural and Effective Solutions

When dealing with these pests, I prefer to use what we call soft insecticides, like insecticidal soap.

An example of insecticidal soap

When the weather is warmer, I look for beneficial insects, and there are a lot of beneficials that like to eat aphids, like Lady Bird Beetles (Lady Bugs).

Lady bugs

When I lived in Live Oak, we had an orchard with muscadine grapes which drew in aphids early in the year, so early the beneficials would not be around yet. Because Lady Bird Beatles came to my orchard in prior years, I knew if I did not take all of their food source away (ie: aphids), they would keep coming. I have learned over the years that beneficials will not only come, but also stay if there is enough food (in this case aphids) to also feed their young.

Lady bird beatle larva

The Right Way of Winter Pest Treatment

When my husband first noticed the increase in the aphid population on the grapes, he approached me and asked what we should do, if he should spray something?

I explained the pest/beneficial situation and instead advised him to take the water hose and give a hard spray in the areas with aphids to disrupt them and knock them off the plant, in some cases killing them. This kept the aphid population at a minimum, giving time to allow the beneficials to come looking for food that they remember being in my orchard.

Why Early Detection is Crucial for Pest Control

You need to know what pests you have so you can decide how to eliminate the problem. Some pests are not affected by what might kill others. For example, what kills worms doesn’t necessarily kill beetles, and what kills stink bugs won’t kill termites. Proper identification is key.

Beneficial wasp laying eggs in an aphid

It’s very important to catch the problem early! My research for UF has shown that if a pest population gets out of control, even hard insecticides may not be able to stop the problem in time to protect your crop. High populations tend to overwinter and start the next season with even larger numbers, creating a vicious cycle.

Stay One Step Ahead: Year-Round Pest Monitoring

Learn to scout for issues throughout the year, even in winter. If you live in a region without snow (like me), some pests will overwinter on evergreen weeds. Look up immature stages of common pests so you can identify them early. Then, research beneficial insects that help you do only the winter pest treatment.

An excellent resource is UF Featured Creatures, which provides large amounts of information on pests and beneficials, including life stages and control methods.

So, the moral of the story is: winter doesn’t always keep pests away—stay diligent year-round!

By the way, I have finished my pine needle basket! I filmed the process, so look for that soon on YouTube!

Finally, don't forget to check out my latest YouTube video on building your own floating garden. ☺️