The cherry laurel secretes sweet plant juices from the nectar glands on the underside of the leaves, which magically attract many insects as well as aphids. Due to the nutritious secretion, the pests multiply rapidly and form large colonies under favorable conditions. So that the lice do not massively damage the plants, it is advisable to act quickly and boldly against the black, green or brown insects.
Fight aphids in an environmentally friendly way
If only a single bush of a laurel cherry hedge is infested with aphids, it is usually sufficient to rinse off the insects with a hard jet of water. Since the flightless animals cannot cover longer distances on their own, the risk of recolonization is negligible.
release beneficial insects
Beneficial insects such as lacewing larvae, parasitic wasps (€22.99) or the seven-spot ladybird support you in a natural way in combating aphids on the cherry laurel. You can get the insects specially bred for natural pest control in tightly sealed packaging from specialist retailers.
Spraying with vegetable manure or soft soap
Soft soap (€44.90) is a proven and environmentally friendly home remedy for combating lice. Dissolve one tablespoon of soap and one tablespoon of denatured alcohol in a liter of water and pour the mixture into a sprayer. Spray the aphids regularly with this solution.
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 stand for one to two weeks and smells a bit unpleasant.
chemical sprays
In the case of a very severe infestation, it is sometimes unavoidable to swing the chemical club. When using insecticides, be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions so as not to burden nature more than is absolutely necessary. In order not to endanger useful insects such as bees and bumblebees, you should only use products that protect the beneficial insects.
tips and tricks
The saponins contained in ivy or chestnuts also help against aphids on the cherry laurel. Make a decoction of about fifteen chopped chestnuts or fifty ivy leaves and a liter of water and sprinkle the pests with this solution.