Comments on: Controling crepe myrtle aphids

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:55:39 +0000

spellling error. Excommunicated. Also if I remember correctly, The pepper tree was introduced to Florida to dry up wetlands so that they could be built on and now we are spending millions of dollars to rid the everglades of them before Northern retirees condos can be built there.

By: jack

jack — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:49:49 +0000

Bravo to Smudge!! Julanne, I am so sorry that you have a Brazilian Pepper Tree. Please kill it before San Joaquin Valley in California looks like South Florida. I had a friend from Ga. visit me in Cocoa Fl. and she wanted to take a Brazilian Pepper tree home. I told he please dont or she would be excommicated from the state of Ga. but that the tress are probably not cold hardy to survive anyway.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:10:41 +0000

Very informative. Going to try Bayer treatment. Had a good laugh reading all the posts! Thanks!

By: Mike Stevens

Mike Stevens — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:07:15 +0000

I thought I would put my two cents worth in here.
I live in South Florida where it gets to 95 with 80% humidity for two months out of the year (aphid heaven). With that said if you treat your Crapes with Bayer flowering tree and shrub systemic in March you will not have aphids that year.

I have 500 of these things in my back yard that rarely get sprayed and when they do its for the Sri Lankan Weevil. These things are incredible eaters and do way more damage in my yard than aphids. Watch out Tampa they are coming north in a hurry.

Mike
Port Charlotte, FLA

By: Smudge

Smudge — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:53:08 +0000

Julanne, you bumptious A**. Brazilian Pepper Trees are invasive. They are illegal in Florida because they use an inordinate amount of our water. Plus they are ugly IMO.

If you plant the correct sized Crepe Myrtle for the landscape, they do not need “professional” maintenance. Let me guess…you allow your tree guys to commit crepe murder every year and prune them down to stubs in the Spring. Plus, white is not a color.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:05:45 +0000

Ran into this on “crepe myrtyles covered in aphids” search. I have tried the organic stuff.. you have to be patient and diligent…. being patient and diligent sucks, i think i’ll try the Bayer stuff. FYI I’m an ICU nurse and no one ever comes in with aphid killer liver failure! Thanks for the post and the help!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:15:21 +0000

I live right outside of Houston and I have 9 CM and only one of them get the CRAP every year. I have tried many different thing because I do not want to cut down the tree. This year my neighbors complained about the CRAP in their yard since the tree is up against a common fence. If I remove the tree, we will lose a lot of privacy between yards. I would like to try the Bayer product and found it at Home Depot. My only question is when to apply it? The tree is in full bloom right now (with CRAP all over it). Do I do it now or wait until we cut it back in FEB. Which would be better to ensure I don’t have issues next summer?
Thanks

By: Julanne

Julanne — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:51:05 +0000

Are you kidding me???? I read every post and am surprised that each one of you never sought professional advice. Sometimes it’s okay to save money and then on the other hand just nip it in the bud folks!! You have wasted so much time and money that it would have paid for a professional. Common sense!!!

I have 16 white crepe myrtles that are just over a decade old. They are beautiful and maintained yearly. When you have a yard of different trees, there is nothing more irritating to me than to see them not maintained. If you can’t do the job properly, don’t plant the trees and if you don’t know how to water, then find a source to learn.

I live in the San Joaquin Valley in California. I hate it but I have no choice. My trees do not require that much water. I live in a subdivision and my neighbors have killed a few of my trees in the front yard because their sprinklers overlap into my yard, they don’t check for broken sprinkler heads, and they water too long.

Okay the solution to the aphids is a Merit injection on each tree sometime in April or early spring. It cost me $133 for 16 trees. I’ve never had an aphid–I mean never.

Take all your soaps and other crap and toss it. Save your time and effort and relax. This is one time you call in a professional.

I have the nicest yard in the subdivision. People still stop and look. I also have a beautiful Brazilian Pepper Tree in the front and six staggered redwoods in the backyard, three Potato Bush trees, and two Japanese Maples. My trees are maintained yearly.

By: Heidi

Heidi — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 23:54:55 +0000

@Lauren – I just found this website today and decided Bayer was what I needed to try. I went to Lowes and couldn’t find it. I asked the lady in the garden center and she said they didn’t carry that brand (the do). Anywho, long story short, they have it inside the store. Most Lowes are set up the same. I found it near the home pest control, weed control, etc. I was on the next isle from that stuff. Good luck!

@ the rest of the tree hugging, earth saving, hippies – I have personally tried every natural thing to kill aphids. Everything from soapy water to buying 4500 ladybugs to release in my yard. Nothing has worked. We (the chemical using aphid killers) don’t judge you for being organic and whatnot. Please don’t judge us for using chemicals to keep our yards nice.

By: Lauren Zimmerman

Lauren Zimmerman — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 19:59:15 +0000

I was so happy when I found this page and the information about Bayer 12 month systemic insecticide, until I went to find the insecticide. I have looked online and the only website that I can find that sells it is called hardtofind.com (or something like that and they are sold out)! I’ve also looked at Lowes and they don’t have it either. Anyone else have ideas where to find it?