Milkweed woes....

[MMathis]

I have a garden pond with a small bog attached. I finally got some decent growth out of my swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ) this year, but they never got to the point of blooming. I had a massive infestation of oleander aphids -- the orangy ones. I discovered it too late and ended up having to prune all of them back -- hopefully they'll come back.

Next year I'll stay on top better, but what is the best way to control these pests?

 

[Fernsdaddy]

I use Dawn dish soap and water in a sprayer , it won't kill the it just sends the packing to some one else's yard. You can buy lady bugs and let them do the work for you.

 

[GardeningOnMars]

Honestly, I find that pest prevention is much easier than having to get rid of them once they've set their sites on a plant. You might want to try garlic spray to keep those aphids at bay. You can either make one up at home or buy a concentrate at garden stores. In my experience, Garlic Barrier is good brand. It doesn't actually repel bugs, but masks the scent of the plant instead, making it harder for them to find it. You'll typically need to spray it on about every 3 or 4 weeks during the aphids' active season, as the scent tends to fade with time, strong winds or rain.

That being said, I'd be sure not to spray it on the plants during the time that monarch butterfly caterpillars are active, since milkweed is an important and declining host plant for them.

Just a heads up: A good garlic spray will smell really strong to you at first. In fact, your garden'll likely smell like a cheap Italian restaurant for about an hour after you apply it. After that, the scent will fade but it will keep bugs away from your plants for a few weeks.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I heard one of the butterflies loves milkweed. So I would use lady bugs to help.