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White 'flies' on my tomatoes
"Alan Gould" wrote in message ... In article , ajr writes Evening, I think that this topic was covered about a month ago on this group but I can't find it on my system - so apologies for repeating the question. My tomatoes are still growing/ripening etc, however the leaves on the plants are covered with little white flies - little negatives of black flies! What are they, what do they do and should I do something about them next year or leave them alone? Assuming that the tomatoes are growing in a greenhouse, it would be well to tackle them now while they are active or they will hibernate over winter to re-breed and become an annual nuisance to all your crops. They are there because they like the conditions, so you will need to make things less pleasant for them, while at the same time not harming your plants or their crops. We use an infusion of nettles in water for that job because it is an organic insect repellent rather than a chemical pesticide which can leave unwanted residues on the tomatoes. We apply it to the leaves of the plants and within a day or so, all the white flies are gone. Any remaining nettle infusion is then ingested through the leaves into the plants to act as an organic plant tonic and feed. Nettle infusion can be prepared by soaking young leaves in water for 7-10 days, by which time they will have biodegraded. The infusion has a characteristic odour, but it is not long lasting and is one of the reasons for its effectiveness. Full details can be read in the urg FAQ on the subject at: http://www.nugget.demon.co.uk/MetaFAQ/nettle.html -- Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs. Alan - thanks for that. |
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