Hi!
This is my first year vegetable gardening. I received a hydroponic system for Christmas, and most of my plants have been grown from seed, with a couple bought from local folk. I have a raised bed set up and then some plants growing in buckets.
My question is… how damaging can aphids be? it’s like they showed up outta nowhere and multiplied by 1000. I broke up the ant population that was farming them and bought beneficial bugs, but they only briefly helped.
Thankfully, assassin bugs have popped up and are controlling the aphid population now. I’ve had my first fruit show up, but my plants still have some damage/distortion on the old leaves. I’m worried that it’s going to take awhile for them to recover.
Also… I keep reading that assassin bugs are great but that they can bite and it hurts lol. I’m not a bug person (I know, great idea to start gardening) and they freak me out a little bit, but I’m trying my best to leave them be.