courgettes fly

[1robert1]

my courgette plants seem to be attracting alot of pest black aphid and alot of black fly covering the vegetables which has made some soft and hollow how to I get rid of them I'm fed up squashing them with my fingers lol

[Diane]

It has rained almost every day for a month here in Mass. I have never seen so many aphids and slugs before.
For the aphids I hold the plant where I'm going to spray and blast it with the hose. As much as I think it can stand.
One day I put on my gloves and just wiped bunches off of fragile plants. I also use a metal nail file to gently scrape them off some leaves.
I'm sure someone else will answer with better ideas.

[donworden]

You might try a dish soap compound... it seems to chase off the little critters. Be sure not to use a detergent as it will hurt the plants.

As far as the slugs go, make them drunk with a snail trap full of beer.