Broad Bean Help Please

[gonz]

I had blackfly on the tips of my broad beans and after reading a few posts on here, I have pinched the tops off.  Had a look last night and they are still on some of the plants by the flowers.  Do I just keep pinching the bits off, or will I cause damage!!!!

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[gonz]

[sarah]

really you needed to have nipped the tips out before the blackfly arrive but once they are on the plants removing the tips wont do much, although it may reduce the numbers some what. it never stops them completely and once they find you they stay until the end.   but its not so bad you can either blast them off with a jet of water or sqwish them twixt finger and thumb (a messy but effective game). in the end they wont do too much damage beyond making a mess of the pods. the beans shouldnt be affected badly.  dont pinch off anymore of the plant.  :)

[gonz]

oh!   definately remember that for next time.  Thanks for your help.

[jo9919]

I had blackfly on my sweetcorn last year.

On advice from members of this site, I sprayed them with a soap solution and then jet sprayed them off. They never returned.

Jo.

[Barnowl]

The ants are already farming on my runners...

[OllieC]

Has anyone else noticed that the blacks appear to be better farmers than the reds?

[Barnowl]

I've never seen the reds farming...

[gonz]

I've noticed a few ants around the broad beans, whats farming????

[saddad]

Where the ants protect the colony of aphids to get the sugary residue from them sucking the sap... they even take aphids to new feeding sites.  :-X

[gonz]

Sounds lovely!!!!! 

I have bought some organic certified insecticide from B & Q, has anyone else used it?

[redimp]

Yes, it works.  It's fatty acids.  Does the organicness come at a premium because you can get identical fatty acid sprays from just about anywhere - just without saying they are organic which usually costs the company money.

[star]

What names would they go under Red?

[redimp]

Focus Greenfly & Blackfly Spray and Doff Greenfly & Blackfly Killer are the two I have used and there does seem to be a pattern emerging with the names. 

Just look on the back - if it says it is made with Fatty Acids and no other active ingredients are listed, then it is the same as some organic approved products that have a higher price.  I do also have a more expensive Nature's Answer Natural Bug Killer which is stated as being organic and contains Pyrethrins (Pyrethrum extract) but the Fatty Acid sprays are good for most things.

[gonz]

Thanks very much for your help.

  ;)