- 1). Place the African violet outdoors or in the kitchen sink. Spraying the plant with a strong stream of water from a garden or kitchen sink hose removes the aphids. The water dislodges the pests and removes the honeydew on the plant. Spray the plant early in the morning so that it has time to dry in the sunlight.
- 2). Set the African violet plant outdoors when the weather permits. Natural predatory insects, such as parasitic wasps, lady beetles and lacewings, kill the aphids. Purchase lady beetles and introduce them to the violet, but the beetles only stay on the plant for two to three days.
- 3). Applying insecticidal soap to the African violet removes the aphid’s protective coating. Make your own insecticidal soap by combining 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap with 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray the violet’s surface coating as many aphids as possible. Spray the undersides of leaves where aphids hide. Rinse the plant with clean water two to three hours later so that the soap does not burn the foliage.
- 4). Spray the African violet with a commercial insecticide that targets aphids. Always read insecticides to determine if they are safe to use on the violets. Some insecticides harm African violets.
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