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Tried using a 3:1 water to dish soap mix in my sprayer for aphids on a client's maple, and it completely stripped the bark's outer layer.
It was a young Autumn Blaze maple in their backyard. I'd read online about the soap mix being a gentle alternative to harsh insecticides. Mixed it up, sprayed the whole canopy. Came back a week later and the bark on the younger branches looked sunken and papery, almost like it had been sanded. The aphids were gone, but so was a lot of the tree's protection. Learned that even 'natural' solutions can be too strong if the concentration is wrong, especially on sensitive species or new growth. Has anyone else had a similar reaction with soap sprays? What's a safer ratio you'd recommend?
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rowanwells9d ago
Yeah that 3:1 mix is crazy strong. I did a 1:20 ratio on some rose bushes last year and it still burned the new leaves. For young maples, I wouldn't go past a 1:30 mix, so like half an ounce of soap per gallon. Even then, test it on one small branch first and wait a couple days. The soft soap they sell for plants is milder than dish soap, but you still gotta dilute it a ton.
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