Have you ever heard or read somewhere that black tea can be used against aphids? The home remedy is actually one of the most popular natural methods against pests. We explain exactly how it works in the article.
Aphids can be a real pest in the garden. They attack many different plants –of flowering plants such as rosesright down to your valuable vegetable plants. The pests feed on the juices of the plants, depriving them of nutrients and stunting their growth. Aphids also multiply quickly and can infect an entire bed in a short period of time. That's why you have to act quickly and fight the pests to save the plants.
A natural method against aphids
When fighting aphids, it would not be advisable to use chemicals. Chemical pests are extremely harmful to the environment and can harm both insects and the plants themselves. If the crops are treated with commercial pesticides, the subsequent yield can also be full of pesticides. Science hasseveral natural methods against aphidsare being explored to combat the plague without endangering people and the environment. One of them is the use of black tea.
How does the home remedy work?
Black tea is a natural and environmentally friendly way to combat aphids on your garden plants. Why? The home remedy contains both caffeine and tannins, which have a repellent effect on aphids. A spray solution is prepared from this and used to spray the affected plants. The result: the pests are deterred and no longer interested in your plants.
Please note: If you are already struggling with a major plague, the home remedy will only help to a limited extent. It works best if you detect the infestation early and act quickly.In this articleYou can find other tools and methods that can help.
Prepare and dilute the black tea
Now we explain step-by-step how to prepare the DIY black tea spray. First bring water to the boil and pour one liter of water over two tea bags of black tea (or about 6 grams of tea leaves). Let the tea steep for about 5 minutes. The tea then has to cool down completely. This step is important to avoid burning the plants. Alternatively, you can make a stronger tea and then dilute it with water in a 1:1 ratio. This helps avoid a possible overdose of caffeine or tannins that could harm the plant.
Application
Pour the cooled tea into a spray bottle and gently spray onto the leaves and stems of the affected plants. Pay particular attention to the undersides where aphids like to perch. Avoid spraying the flowers. It is best to time the application in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid direct sunlight, which could burn the leaves.
Tipp: Observe plants after treatment for signs of reaction. If they respond well and show no signs of damage, you can repeat the treatment as needed.
Will the aphids disappear immediately?
Black tea as a home remedy against bugs does not work immediately. It may take up to a few days to notice a reduction in the aphid population. If necessary, the home remedy can be used every few days until the aphids disappear completely.
