Aphids

This week consisted of working on the farm and composing our companion report. On Monday and Tuesday we worked on our companion report and on Wednesday we worked on our farm jobs and one bed projects.

My companion report was about Aphids. Aphids are a little green bug and a pest to the farm. They mainly attack newly germinated crops as they are easy to eat and do not have any protection methods grown in yet. Aphids reproduce extremely fast and whole farms can be destroyed if the Aphid population gets too out of hand. 

In order to combat Aphids there are many organic techniques that can be used. One of which is to use Neem oil mixed with a little bit of water and spray it on the crops. Neem oil is a common oil that a lot of other pests do not like. Another way of getting rid of them would be to grow natural pest repelling plants such as onions and garlic. Finally, introducing beneficial bugs can also get rid of Aphids. For example, introducing spiders will be good for the farm as they only eat other bugs, not plants, meaning that the Aphids will die. 

There are many other companions on the farm that other students have done their reports on. Aside from pests, beneficial companions are lady bugs, spiders, garlic/onions, and cover crops. 

-Mya