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Every year, wherever I grow my basil (kitchen windowsill or greenhouse) it succumbs to some kind of aphid and the leaves end up completely sticky with tiny flies. No other plants nearby are affected but the tiles on my kitchen windowsill are also covered! I posted this question last year and just got one reply from Robert suggesting spraying with soap, which I have tried, but can anyone suggest any form of prevention rather than cure, apart from eating it quicker?

Well just washing under the tap or garlic spray is sll I can think of.

Look for aphids in the garden and then look closer for ladybird larvae *

Transfer a few to your basil and watch them shred the aphids.

Hardly worth bothering with mature ladybirds - they just fly off ** and they aren't as hungry anyway.

The best larvae are middle sized so they have a lot of eating to do before they pupate.

Cheers

*(http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/beetles/7%2520Spot%2520Ladybird%2520larva%25202.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/ladybirds.html&h=300&w=231&sz=29&tbnid=fO3JPl7ndzedAM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=69&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dladybird%2Blarvae%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=ladybird+larvae&usg=__MnNyjkmgnu1miQk7bs265__RN4o=&docid=GOYakBb4JZkwFM&sa=X&ei=OK_FUeOsJcT70gXthYD4Bw&sqi=2&ved=0CFMQ9QEwAg&dur=5313)

** Ladybirds may lay eggs but the aphid slaughter won't happen until later when they hatch.

There do not seem to be many ladybird around at the moment.

I would suggest feeding the plant.   

Is is one of those supermarket ones with several hundred plants in one pot?   I would carefully separate into quarters and repot.     

Quote from: Digeroo on June 23, 2013, 09:01:08
There do not seem to be many ladybird around at the moment.

I would suggest feeding the plant.   

Is is one of those supermarket ones with several hundred plants in one pot?   I would carefully separate into quarters and repot.     

I agree, haven't seen a single ladybird this year! It was a supermarket plant that I'd already divided, but I've had the same problem with home sown plants.

I agree with all the comments about ladybirds. I always translate complaints about 'excessive aphids' into 'shortage of ladybirds'. This then prompts the question: What have you done to help the local ladybird population increase?
Of course (slightly off topic) I also translate complaints about 'excessive slugs' into 'shortage of frogs' and so on.