Whitefly? in the GH. Help!
JJB Offline
Moonraker
#1
I think I have whitefly in the greenhouse not something I have experienced before, although looking at the RHS picture the little white critters on my plants do not have distinguishable wings, like their picture, in fact mine are so small I can't identify them as creatures with legs or wings with the naked eye.  Query, what to do about them?
Gardening is an excuse not to do housework
Greetings from Salisbury
Qualified member of the Confused Nutter's Club 
[-] The following 1 user Likes JJB's post:
  • Can the Man
Reply

Scarlet Offline
Super Pest Controller
#2
Do you keep it closed up during the day?

I think at this time of year if you don't act fast they will multiply before your eyes.

You can use insects to eat them? Not sure what they are called?

Sticky tapes.

I would empty the greenhouse, wash all your plants. Keep the really infested ones outside.

Wash greenhouse thoroughly.

Fleece plants for a couple of nights outside?? What plants have you got in there?
[-] The following 2 users Like Scarlet's post:
  • Can the Man, JJB
Reply

JJB Offline
Moonraker
#3
(04-05-2021, 10:20 PM)Scarlet Wrote: Do you keep it closed up during the day?

I think at this time of year if you don't act fast they will multiply before your eyes.

You can use insects to eat them? Not sure what they are called?

Sticky tapes.

I would empty the greenhouse, wash all your plants. Keep the really infested ones outside.

Wash greenhouse thoroughly.

Fleece plants for a couple of nights outside?? What plants have you got in there?
No, open during the day mostly.  I've got peppers, tomatoes, aubs, chillies, beans, sweetcorn, cucurbits,  bedding etc. Hundreds of plants.  It looks like the insects like peppers and chillies best. I've blitzed the couple of plants I've noticed the bugs on but I expect I've missed some.  I'll have a look on line for bio warfare as opposed to chemical warfare and buy some sticky tapes although I dont see them flying about (yet) .Thanks Scarlet.  I'm pretty sure they're whitefly but they're very very tiny. I'm going to get a lens on them to see what the look like magnified.
I'm daunted about emptying and washing the gh
Gardening is an excuse not to do housework
Greetings from Salisbury
Qualified member of the Confused Nutter's Club 
[-] The following 1 user Likes JJB's post:
  • Can the Man
Reply

Scarlet Offline
Super Pest Controller
#4
When you have whitefly if you touch the plant they all fly...it's like dandruff Big Grin

I had it once on overwintered kale in the greenhouse and was a bigger to get rid of.

I think SP uses ladybirds? But I think it may be something different for whitefly. I'm not sure.
Be sure to post what you do. What a pain this early in the season.
[-] The following 2 users Like Scarlet's post:
  • Can the Man, JJB
Reply

Small chilli Online
Super Pest Controller
#5
Ladybird larvae is for aphids, but they would take some whitefly. You need parasitic wasps apparently. After doing a quick google.
Builder that would like to go play in the garden.
[-] The following 2 users Like Small chilli's post:
  • Can the Man, JJB
Reply

JJB Offline
Moonraker
#6
I've had cabbage whitefly often under the cabbage mesh in the garden which fly in clouds but these critters are way different. They don't have visible wings and are not yet prolific enough to 'dandruff'. Maybe they're babies. I've ordered some sticky traps to see what is actually flying about, plan on using cautiously in case bees get clobbered. I'll try washing the plants, but they're not very big or strong yet, so can't do a water jet job on them. I'm being vigilant and rubbing the blighters off each leaf at the moment and as far as I can see they're only on pepper and chilli growing tips so far. I notice lots of dead ones on the soil of the one pot that I chemical sprayed so that's a start, but I'm reluctant to blanket bomb the whole lot with insecticide.
I'll not get a chance for a good greenhouse session for a couple of days so I'm snatching any time I can to go 'a rubbin'. Tedious. Sad
Gardening is an excuse not to do housework
Greetings from Salisbury
Qualified member of the Confused Nutter's Club 
[-] The following 1 user Likes JJB's post:
  • Can the Man
Reply

toomanytommytoes Offline
Member
#7
Growing tips sounds like aphids. Do they move at all? When aphids moult they leave their white skins behind and they can look like tiny insects. Or maybe thrips?
[-] The following 3 users Like toomanytommytoes's post:
  • Can the Man, JJB, Small chilli
Reply

JJB Offline
Moonraker
#8
Ooooh, you may have hit it on the head. The white bits I'm finding are thrip sized, but whilst there are the occasional greenfly, nothing in numbers that reflect the qty of white bits. I must find the opportunity to put the white bits under a lens to see if they move. Uncovering this morning I took any peppers with suspect insects outside, gave them a shake and flicked them to see if anything fell off in the wind. It did, but not all I'm afraid.
Gardening is an excuse not to do housework
Greetings from Salisbury
Qualified member of the Confused Nutter's Club 
[-] The following 1 user Likes JJB's post:
  • Can the Man
Reply

Spec Offline
Member
#9
Came across a oil based insecticide which might be worth a try
250mls. veg. or sunflower oil
25 mls. washing up liquid (fairy etc.)
Shake well add 10mls. to 1lt. of water and spray infected plants
[-] The following 2 users Like Spec's post:
  • Can the Man, JJB
Reply

Spec Offline
Member
#10
Or you could try boiling some garlic cloves in water, then strain off add to a spray bottle and dilute with water, try on one plant to check they are no adverse effects
[-] The following 2 users Like Spec's post:
  • Can the Man, JJB
Reply





Users browsing this thread:
1 Guest(s)



Theme © iAndrew 2018 - Forum software by © MyBB .