noodle

A new year, new soil, new plants... more aphids.
My twilight pepper plant has been taken over by little white bugs that turn into little black or green bugs. Every flipping year, the come and take over one or more of my plants. I grown everything organically, with no pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, and this year more focus on bottled spring water (tyring to avoid the high levels of formaldehyde in our tap water). They're in pots on my balcony, not even near grass or anything, I think that when they cut the grass downstairs, the bugs go flying and somehow find my plants. The balcony gets sun pretty much all day and the more fragile plants get moved to the side that gets more morning sun, and vice versa. I want to get my garden started, but I'm really hesitant until this bug issue gets resolved. They do seem to gravitate towards the plants with more densely placed leaves and more textured leaves. The cayenne pepper plant doesn't have many at all and my orchid has none.
I talked to one of the organic gardners at the Market yesterday and she recommended NEEM oil or castille soap and water in a spray bottle... been there, done that, no dice. Just sticky plants and peppers that we didn't want to eat because they smelled yuck. I tried ladybugs a few years ago and most arrived dead, the twelve (of 500) that stayed were very happy but they just came back after the ladybugs left. I'm not sure what to do, any green-thumbers that have any ideas? I'm wondering if there is something I can put in the soil to make them less appealing to bugs or something I can plant nearby to deter them from transferring from one plant to another... I really want to start some tomatoes and thai chiles. Any thoughts?

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