I'd be a bit worried about applying lots of Safers Soap - I use it
outside on Roses and things, but even the bottle (in the UK) warns
that it might damage some plants. I'd prefer to well and truly
clobber the aphids with something stronger (they are easy to kill -
shops will have shelves of things which will do it). It might end up
being better for the environment to give one application of a proper
insecticide, rather than lots of applications of something which
doesn't quite do the job.
To the person who followed up: Aphids are normally known as
'Greenfly' (in the UK anyway). There are also black ones
('Blackfly'). The things that leap about on the soil surface, we know
as 'springtails' - I think these are harmless.
> They have been in the same soaked peat
> that they were re-potted to last year. My theory is that I've got
> compacted, non-ventilated compost which has led to fungus attacking the
> plants' roots. Would I be wise to transplant these into new peat? should I
> go half and half with peat and sand?
Repotting is nearly always a good idea if something appears to be
wrong. I'd go for adding the sand, or perlite, or something to open
up the soggy peat a bit.
-- Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk)