Pests in my Sedum

[vipercobramommy]

I have a Frosty Morn sedum that I LOVE! It comes back beautifully every year (going on 3 years now). The first year was bug free, then last year, we got little black dots, starting at the tips and working their way down as time went by. I was told they were a form of aphid, that they were probably dormant the first year and would probably not come back. Now we've got them again. Any ideas?

[Newt]

Hi Vipercobramommy,

I can't see clearly in the picture if they are aphids, but insecticidal soap will help you to get rid of them.* You can even make your own, just be sure to use soap and not detergent.* Here's some helpful links.

http://woodypest.ifas.ufl.edu/aphids.htm
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/194.html

Newt

[vipercobramommy]

Thanks for the help. I'll try it this afternoon. I thought they were aphids at first, but every picture I've seen of aphids shows that they have wings. The bugs on my plant do not have wings. In fact they are so small, you can't see a head or body on them. It's just a black dot!

[Newt]

You are very welcome!* I'm a bit confused by your answer.* Are they aphids as I'm reading that this particular sedum is prone to them?

Newt

[vipercobramommy]

I don't truly know that they are aphids. All pictures I've seen have legs and/or wings, and the buggers I have are so small that I can't visualize either legs or wings. At first, I figured they'd "sprout wings" or at least grow larger as the season progressed. But they remained on the leaves, multiplied many times until about late August, then the plant starts it's hibernation and dries up. The pests don't seem to do much damage to the plant, as I've read aphids will do.*I thought maybe I'd just let it run it's course last year, allow it to do it's*seasonal "thing", then the next year, we'd start clean. But like clockwork, the black dots came back. I live on the 19th floor of my apartment building and my sedum lives outside on my terrace. So I think it may be some sort of infestation within the bulb of the plant. I don't get any other bugs up here.*The plant loves my terrace so much and I hardly have to do a thing to it, other than water once or twice a week, and clipped down in the fall. I don't think my bugs will kill the plant, but it would be nice not to be grossed out everytime I look at it! ya know?

[Newt]

I would suggest that you cut this plant back by half when it's 6" to 8" tall.* Then cut it back again by half when it's 12" tall.* Don't cut it back after July 4th.* I suspect thay are aphids.* Dispose of the cuttings in the trash.* They like lean soil so don't fertilize as that will cause juicy new growth that will attract the aphids.* Use insecticidal soap every 5 to 7 days for about 3 weeks after cutting back.

Newt