Whitefly
 

Can anyone please advise me how to get rid of the tiny white fly which
has ruined my plants in the greenhouse and is also on many of my plants in
the garden.It is almost like snow,I have so much of it ! I have tried using
a spray but it does not work.

I am concerned about housing my potted plants mostly fuchies,in the
greenhouse for the winter,because the white fly might still be around in
the spring to ruin everything.( their eggs )
I have never had white fly in my garden before this year.

Many thanks in anticipation
Vera C.

In message , Vera Coulter
writes
Can anyone please advise me how to get rid of the tiny white fly which
has ruined my plants in the greenhouse and is also on many of my plants in
the garden.It is almost like snow,I have so much of it ! I have tried using
a spray but it does not work.

It does if you use something ruthless and nasty systemic (OK for a
greenhouse but unacceptable for house plants). Though sticky yellow card
traps will help to control whitefly in the greenhouse.

In a greenhouse now I would be inclined to close it up and then use an
insecticidal smoke to kill them. Or take all plants out and use a
sulphur candle to sterilise the entire of the inside (kills almost
everything).

I am concerned about housing my potted plants mostly fuchies,in the
greenhouse for the winter,because the white fly might still be around in
the spring to ruin everything.( their eggs )
I have never had white fly in my garden before this year.

It was a lousy year for it. The early heat plastered whitefly
infestations over every beech hedge in my area (N Yorks)

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

In article , Vera Coulter
writes
Can anyone please advise me how to get rid of the tiny white fly which
has ruined my plants in the greenhouse and is also on many of my plants in
the garden.It is almost like snow,I have so much of it ! I have tried using
a spray but it does not work.

a) yellow sticky fly traps. The whitefly seem to be attracted to yellow
(and certainly like plants whose leaves are a yellow green as opposed to
a grey green)

b) there is a biological control available, but I've not used it.

c) shake them into the air and vacuum them up - I've tried this without
success but other people claim it works

d) Pinguicula (butterwort) eats them (they're attracted to the yellowish
leaves which are able to digest them), but you'd need a lot to make a
difference

e) Insecticides aren't effective.

I am concerned about housing my potted plants mostly fuchies,in the
greenhouse for the winter,because the white fly might still be around in
the spring to ruin everything.( their eggs )

You will have several generations of whitefly between now and the
spring! They don't seem to be a problem outside, but a heavy infestation
doesn't do much for the plant, so it's a matter of whether you can keep
their numbers at a tolerable level until you can get the fuchsias
outside again. They do like fuchsias.

Otoh, if your greenhouse is cool enough that the fuchsias will lose
their leaves, the problem is a lot less as the eggs are on the underside
of the leaves - no leaves, no eggs.

I've got a heavy infestation on my aubergines atm, but they'll be
chucked out when they stop fruiting, so if I do that really carefully
without disturbing the leaves, I should get rid of a lot of them.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

On 9/10/04 23:36, in article , "Vera
Coulter" wrote:

Can anyone please advise me how to get rid of the tiny white fly which
has ruined my plants in the greenhouse and is also on many of my plants in
the garden.It is almost like snow,I have so much of it ! I have tried using
a spray but it does not work.

I am concerned about housing my potted plants mostly fuchies,in the
greenhouse for the winter,because the white fly might still be around in
the spring to ruin everything.( their eggs )
I have never had white fly in my garden before this year.

Take a look at this site, Vera. http://www.greengardener.co.uk/softsoap.htm
And there are others on the subject of biological control.
We use it here and get our Encarsia from a commercial source and I can
assure you that it works. There are two important points - stick rigidly to
the routine and hold your nerve! Don't be tempted to spray with chemicals
once you start a biological routine because you will kill your 'good'
predators and have wasted both time and money.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On 10/10/04 3:09 AM, in article
, "Sacha"
wrote:

On 9/10/04 23:36, in article , "Vera
Coulter" wrote:

Can anyone please advise me how to get rid of the tiny white fly which
has ruined my plants in the greenhouse and is also on many of my plants in
the garden.It is almost like snow,I have so much of it ! I have tried using
a spray but it does not work.

I am concerned about housing my potted plants mostly fuchies,in the
greenhouse for the winter,because the white fly might still be around in
the spring to ruin everything.( their eggs )
I have never had white fly in my garden before this year.

Take a look at this site, Vera. http://www.greengardener.co.uk/softsoap.htm
And there are others on the subject of biological control.
We use it here and get our Encarsia from a commercial source and I can
assure you that it works. There are two important points - stick rigidly to
the routine and hold your nerve! Don't be tempted to spray with chemicals
once you start a biological routine because you will kill your 'good'
predators and have wasted both time and money.
The site did say not to use it (the Spray) on fuchsias or begonias...Vera
has fuchsias...now what?
Twiggy