Topic: Whitefly and Greenfly in the greenhouse

[Two Choices]

I've just discovered whitefly and Greenfly on some of my young chili plants. What is the best way of getting rid of them?. I was really thorough in cleaning down with Jeyes fluid before sowing my first seed, so how come they they have arrived in quite an abundance? In the meantime I've hung up one of those yellow sticky papers that catch the bugs and I hope I don't get too many of the good guys. ???

[Gillysdad]

Its the finger and thumb squash method for me, I know of others who wash them off with a spray of water but that doesn't kill them, just spreads them around a bit.
Be vigilant with your other plants, its amazing how these critters multiply. ;)

[valmarg]

We use the companion method of planting marigolds/tagetes in the pots/growbags with tomatoes, chillies, etc, against white fly.  It seems to work, as we have not been troubled with white fly since we started using this method.

The best method against greenfly is the 'finger and thumb' method.

I would never use the yellow sticky traps in the greenhouse.  You may get the odd whitefly, unlikely to get any greenfly, but what you will get are hoverflies, bees, lacewings and other helpful insects.  In fact you will catch more helpful insects than bad.

At this time of year, even wasps are helpful, insofar as they will be hunting for insects to feed their larvae.  The adult wasps may not eat insects, but that is the sole diet for their larvae, and they are voracious predators to feed them.

valmarg

[manicscousers]

every ladybird, I put it on a plant in the poly, there are a few greenfly at the mo..when the coriander goes to seed, it brings in hoverflies etc to eat the little bu**ers  :)