Despite their small size, aphids are some of the most damaging pests found in home gardens. These soft-bodied insects feed on plant sap, reproduce quickly, and can infest vegetables, fruit trees, ornamentals, and especially roses. If left alone, they weaken plants, spread diseases, and diminish both yield and beauty. Knowledge about aphids and selecting effective control methods are essential for maintaining a thriving garden.

Aphids cluster on new growth, buds, and the underside of leaves, appearing in various colours – green (often targets vegetables and roses), black (frequently seen on beans and ornamentals, white woolly (typically infest fruit trees), etc.
Aphids pose significant challenges to a wide range of garden plants. They are particularly troublesome for vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and leafy greens. Fruit trees including citrus, apples, and peaches are also frequently targeted by aphids. In addition, ornamentals like shrubs and flowers, as well as roses, especially their new buds, are highly susceptible to aphid infestations, since these pests are drawn to tender, developing growth.

Aphids harm plants in several ways:
• Sap loss: they drain plant juices, causing curling, yellowing, and stunted growth.
• Honeydew and sooty mould: their sticky residue encourages fungal growth, which decreases photosynthesis.
• Disease transmission: aphids can carry viruses between crops.
• Distorted growth: poorly developed shoots, flowers, or fruits.

Choosing the right solution
Why use a contact concentrate:
• Economical for large gardens and frequent use
• Adjustable concentration based on pest levels
• Covers whole plants, including hidden leaf areas

Avi Gard Mercaptothion
Avi Gard is a versatile concentrate contact and stomach insecticide for the control of a wide range of insects, including aphids, mealy bugs, scale, thrips, CMR beetles, grasshoppers, lawn caterpillars, fall army worm, astylus beetles, diamond back moths, lady birds, fungus gnats, pumpkin, fruit and house flies, carpet beetles, cockroaches, fish moths and bedbugs.

It can be used inside and outside the house. Avi Gard has a quick knock down and very short withholding period on vegetables and fruit. Due to its relative low toxicity to humans and mammals, it is widely used in home gardens. As with any other pesticides, read the label instructions and warnings to ensure both effectiveness and safety.

Cypermethrin 200EC
Cypermethrin is versatile concentrate contact and stomach insecticide ideal to protect your garden against a large range of insects like aphids, army worms, weevils, codling moths, fruit flies, lucerne caterpillars, red bollworms, spin bollworms, stainers, semi-loopers, stalk borders, stink bugs, leafrollers and thrips. It works by disrupting the nervous system of insects, causing death upon contact or indigestion. It is valued for its rapid action and effectiveness against adult pests and larvae, helping maintain the health and productivity of your garden.

Kemprin 200EC
Kemprin effectively protects gardens from a wide range of insects, including aphids, army worms, bollworms, fruit flies, caterpillars, thrips, crickets, termites, mealy bugs, beetles, moth larvae, ants, stinkbugs, and loopers. It disrupts the insect nervous system, causing death by contact or ingestion, and works quickly against both adults and larvae to keep gardens healthy and productive.

Knox Worm
Knox Worm is an effective insecticide formulated to protect gardens from a variety of destructive pests. It offers broad-spectrum control against insects such as aphids, beetles, caterpillars, army worms, and thrips. The product kills insects by disrupting their nervous system upon contact or ingestion. This rapid and targeted approach ensures swift elimination of both adult pests and larvae, thereby supporting the overall health and productivity of your garden.

Spray-Kill 3
Spray-Kill 3 is specifically formulated to manage a wide array of common garden pests. It provides effective control against aphids, acraea horta, astylus beetles, CMR beetles, diamond back moths, mealy bugs, scales, stink bugs, thrips, and whiteflies. The inclusion of a synergist in the formulation increases the potency of the insecticide, allowing it to work efficiently at lower concentrations. This not only maximises the effectiveness of pest control but also minimises the environmental impact by reducing the amount of chemical required for successful treatment.
Why use a systemic concentrate:
• Provides durable protection by absorbing into the plant’s system, delivering sustained control of aphids, including on new growth.
• Effectively targets concealed pests, reaching aphids that feed beneath leaves or in difficult-to-access locations.
• Reduces frequency of treatments as continuous internal defense minimises the necessity for repeated spraying.
• Features a straightforward application method with a convenient soil drench at the root zone.

Garden Defender
Garden Defender is a systemic insecticide designed to provide long-lasting control of common garden pests, including sucking and biting insects such as aphids, leaf miner, psylla on citrus trees, red scale, and thrips. By applying this product as a simple, seasonal soil drench directly to the root zone, Garden Defender is effective for both preventative and corrective pest management. Its systemic action ensures that protection is distributed throughout the plant, helping to safeguard your garden from ongoing and future infestations.

Complete 350 SC
Complete 350SC is a systemic insecticide designed to manage a range of garden pests, including aphids, leaf miners, psylla on citrus, red scale, and thrips. This product is formulated for seasonal application as a soil drench, targeting the root zone of the plant. By applying Complete 350SC at the roots, it offers both preventative and corrective control, helping to protect plants from infestation and treat existing pest problems. The systemic action ensures that protection is delivered throughout the plant, including new growth, providing long-lasting effectiveness against challenging insects.
Practical control tips
• Check plants, especially new growth, often
• Spray in the morning or late afternoon
• Cover leaves thoroughly, including undersides
• Reapply as aphids multiply fast
• Use systemic insecticides for longer control

Although aphids are a frequent garden nuisance, they can be easily managed with early detection and proper treatment. You can use a contact concentrate for wide coverage, a systemic concentrate for ongoing control, or a powder for convenient, targeted application. Regular care will keep vegetables, fruit trees, ornamentals, and roses healthy and vibrant throughout the season.

Registered in terms of Act 36 of 1947

READ THE LABEL BEFORE USING THE PRODUCT
Avi Gard: L216, mercaptothion (organophosphate) 500 g/l, WARNING, H302 – harmful if swallowed, H226 – flammable liquid and vapour, H317 – may cause an allergic skin reaction, H305 – may be harmful if swallowed and enters airways, H410 – very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, registration holder: Avima (Pty) Ltd, company registration number: 1961/001744/07, PO Box 3131, Kenmare, 1745, telephone number: 011 769 1300
Complete 350 SC: L7959, imidacloprid (chloro-nicotinyl) 350 g/l, WARNING, H302 – harmful if swallowed, H373 – may cause damage to organs (kidneys) through prolonged or repeated exposure via oral route, H400 – very toxic to aquatic life, H410 – very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, registration holder: UPL South Africa (Pty) Ltd, company registration number: 2009/019713/07, 7 Sunbury Office Park, Off Douglas Saunders Drive, La Lucia, 4019, telephone number: 031 5145600
Garden Defender: L11562, imidacloprid (chloro-nicotinyl) 350 g/l, WARNING, H302 – harmful if swallowed, H373 – may cause damage to organs (kidneys) through prolonged or repeated exposure via oral route, H400 – very toxic to aquatic life, H410 – very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, registration holder: Protek, a division of PE-BEE Agri (Pty) Ltd, company registration number: 2005/036 308/07, PO Box 72, Heidelberg, 1441, telephone number: 011 812 9800
Kemprin 200 EC, L3145, cypermethrin (pyrethroid) 200 g/l, DANGER, H226 – flammable liquid and vapour H332 – harmful if inhaled, H303 – may be harmful if swallowed, H313 – may be harmful in contact with skin, H340 – may cause genetic defects, H350 – may cause cancer, H335/H336 – may cause respiratory irritation or may cause drowsiness/dizziness, H304 – may be fatal if swallowed and enters airways, H373 – may cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure, H400 – very toxic to aquatic life, H410 – very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, registration holder: UPL South Africa (Pty) Ltd, company registration number: 2009/019713/07, 7 Sunbury Office Park, Off Douglas Saunders Drive, La Lucia, 4019, telephone number: 031 514 5600
Knox Worm: L7176, cypermethrin (pyrethroid) 200 g/l, DANGER, H226 – flammable liquid and vapour, H332 – harmful if inhaled, H303 – may be harmful if swallowed, H313 – may be harmful in contact with skin, H340 – may cause genetic defects, H350 – may cause cancer, H335 + H336 – may cause respiratory irritation or may cause drowsiness/dizziness, H304 – may be fatal if swallowed and enters airways, H373 – may cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure, H400 – very toxic to aquatic life, H410 – very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, registration holder: UPL South Africa (Pty) Ltd, company registration number: 2009/019713/07, 7 Sunbury Office Park, Off Douglas Saunders Drive, La Lucia, 4019, telephone number: 031 514 5600
Sipermetrien 200 EC, L4889, cypermethrin (pyrethroid) 200 g/l, DANGER, H226 – flammable liquid and vapour, H332 – harmful if inhaled, H303 – may be harmful if swallowed, H313 – may be harmful in contact with skin, H340 – may cause genetic defects, H350 – may cause cancer, H335 + H336 – may cause respiratory irritation or may cause drowsiness/dizziness, H304 – may be fatal if swallowed and enters airways, H373 – may cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure, H400 – very toxic to aquatic life, H410 – very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, registration holder: UPL South Africa (Pty) Ltd, company registration number: 2009/019713/07, 7 Sunbury Office Park, Off Douglas Saunders Drive, La Lucia, 4019, telephone number: 031 514 5600
Spray-Kill 3: L4287, cypermethrin 8 g/l, piperonyl butoxide 40 g/l, WARNING, H302 – harmful if swallowed, H318 – causes serious eye damage, registration holder: PE-BEE Agri (Pty) Ltd, company registration number 2008/036308/07, PO Box 72, Heidelberg, 1441, telephone number: (011) 812 9800
Distributed by: Protek, a division of PE-BEE Agri (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 72, Heidelberg,1438, telephone number (011) 812-9800 or 0861 PROTEK (0861 77 68 35), www.protek.co.za