OK, here's something you ice stormers don't have to deal with right now. There are aphids on the emerging leaves of my plantagenia. There are also some smaller, white, fuzzy things (bugs) on other leaves. All these creatures are on the top sides of the leaves and down the "tunnel" of the stems.
I bought a spray bottle and have seen somewhere you can use dish soap and water to spray down the leaves. I've searched all day and can't find the amount to dilute.
I also have Otho brand Orthenex insect & disease control. Active ingredients are Acephate 4%, triforine 3.25%, fenbutatin-oxide 0.75%. It is several years old (over 10 years). Is that still good and is it safe to use on my plant?
Nope, don't have aphids right now! You may be able to just wash the leaves off really well then spray the insecticide around the base of the hosta on the soil. Aphids and (sounds like) whitefly are not too hard to kill usually.
You could put quite a bit of dish soap in water spray and it wouldn't hurt anything except make bubbles when you water.
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
The acephate will knock down the aphids and whiteflies and it is systemic so it would last a while. Since the bottle you have is so old there is a chance the water has evaporated from the bottle (water will evaporate through plastic) making the chemicals even more concentrated, so I would dilute to half strength or more when mixing and be careful not to get any on your hands.
Like Charla mentioned you could water it in around the plant and it should be absorbed by the roots since it is a systemic insecticide.
I would probably mix it in a watering can, pour it right over the little buggers and then rinse it off with a hose so as not to damage the leaves at all.
Funny, I kind of envy your leaves and blooms but for some reason I don't envy the bugs
Aphids! Don't get me started on those pesky buggers! They're in my 100' Tulip tree. Now, can you just imagine me up on a ladder with a hose trying to spray them off?????
The worst part is they secrete that suet crap so everything under the tree looks black! That got all over my hostas this year worse than ever before, so I was out there washing my hostas. I can imagine what my neighbors thought! I'm out there talking to my hostas, yelling KOMODO every now & then & then sitting down with a bucket of water & a scrub brush telling them all it's Saturday night & they're getting a bath if they want it or not! It's a wonder they haven't called the men in white coats for me!
I found a new Bayer product called Tree & Shrub Care I think. You water it in around the base & it's supposed to keep them off for a year. I've used the Rose & Flower Care & I have only seen one or two Japanese beetles since I used it about 3 summers ago so I'm pretty much sold on that company! So I'm looking forward to having an aphid free tulip tree this year & a clean bunch of hostas in the front yard! Keeping my fingers crossed anyways!
Freaky, they were talking about Tulip trees earlier this year saying the aphids and the resulting black tar was worse this year than normal. So at least you have not been alone. My aphids are so far deceased, gone to aphid heaven, I soaked my plants with dish soap and water twice. Luckily it worked right before I had to bring the plants in from "cold". They go back outside today, if aphids come back I'll dilute the systemic spray like Chris suggested and use that.
I can't imagine hand washing all those huge hostas you all have, my plantagenia I got in November has over 25 leaves right now and promising many more. I hope you have a huge aphid kill and don't have to deal with that again.
I'm afraid not, Charlene. Slugs are mollusks, not insects, so they wouldn't be affected by it.
Spider, aren't you going to let your hostas go dormant? You mentioned bringing them inside, but since hostas normally need to go dormant for 4 to 6 weeks you might want to let nature do its thing. I'm not sure how long they can go without having any down time.
I brought the Junes inside, they are in the crisper. Plantagenia is just so darn happy I'm letting it be to see what happens. If it looks tired next year I'll crisper it too. The temps are in the 80's today. You should see how happy this plant is!
I would be happy too if I lived in a place where the temps were in the 80's in January , however we did have temps in the high 60.low 70's Saturday and Sunday
I saw the weather outlook for Florida and I know you all were freezing to death in those 40 degree highs
Everyone but me looked like the Michelin man! I had my light leather jacket (not zipped) and an open front light sweatshirt (not zipped). In MN I was sweating in 40* weather! (I was a bit more dressed there though!)
My hosta seedlings inside under lights are infested with aphids & white fly ick. I spray with Dr. Bayer's peppermint soap, and it keeps them down, but as the seedlings are getting bigger, the bugs have more places to hide, so it's getting harder. Would adding a little bleach help? I can't risk using insecticide in the house, so any ideas for new & improved stopgap measures till I can take them outdoors would be much appreciated.
Digs.
...greening up the Great White North!!!
Digs' hosta list
45° 22' N 75° 43' W, 114 metres (374 ') above sea level.
Would the water/alcohol/soap mixture work on your insects? I use it to keep mealy bugs under control on my 32-year-old hoyas. the proportion is 40/8/1. Spray it on, wait about 10 minutes and spray again with clear water.
Alternatively, ask Ed Lawrence on Mondays - CBC radio 1 - he broadcasts from Ottawa. It is a call-in show (email me direct for the phone number) and his advice is the BEST!!!!!
There are aphids on the emerging leaves of my plantagenia. There are also some smaller, white, fuzzy things (bugs) on other leaves. All these creatures are on the top sides of the leaves and down the "tunnel" of the stems.
Nope, don't have aphids right now! 
ick. I spray with Dr. Bayer's peppermint soap, and it keeps them down, but as the seedlings are getting bigger, the bugs have more places to hide, so it's getting harder. Would adding a little bleach help? I can't risk using insecticide in the house, so any ideas for new & improved stopgap measures till I can take them outdoors would be much appreciated.