As plants surge with new growth, the pesky aphid experiences a population explosion. Many plants will simply outgrow the aphid attack with nothing more than a rinse of water. But in other instances aphids can cause distorted growth, spread viruses, and generally weaken the host plant. UC Davis publishes an excellent guide to managing aphids in the garden using Integrated Pest Management, the practice of matching the appropriate, least toxic solution for garden pests: www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7404.html