Summary of PostHow to identify aphid infestations on your potted goji plants. And how to get rid of these pesky sap sucking insects.
The Attack of the Aphids
I started my Goji Berry Germinating Endeavour in the fall of 2008, way before I potted my mint, basil, pepper, strawberry and other plants to bring indoors over winter. Unbeknownst to me, a mama aphid had hitched a ride on one of these plants, into my home sweet home. Aphids have a incredible propensity for making babies. If you were to examine my mama aphid under a very powerful microscope, you could see her baby developing inside her, and her baby's baby developing inside her baby. (Freaky huh?). These ladies don't even need Mr Aphid to reproduce (Nonono, it's not what you think. No lady lovin' - these critters are Asexual. Some aphid life cycle info here). After two weeks I started noticing some tiny yellowish bugs the size of a pin head, on my basil (see aphid enlarged pic at right). I squashed them with my fingers, hoping for the best, but knowing deep deep within my heart that I would soon be facing the challenge of my career.
I am embarrassed to admit, I should have known better being an entomologist and all - Quarantine Quarantine Quarantine. (This means that when one brings potted plants indoors, one should isolate these plants from existing house plants for a week or two until one is extremely sure there are no six legged pests lurking and skulking on the newbies).
Aphid Explosion
Within a month the aphids and their daughters were the majority in my home. I was outnumbered 1000 to 1. They preferred some plants over others, and for a while I thought my goji plants were not going to be harassed. Ah woe!
