Topic: Help, pesky whitefly

[ducksfeet]

Hello,

I have a houseplant that is lashed with whitefuly, how do I shift it? I've tried all sorts of stuff including mr muscle cleaning solutions and they still survived (so did the plant which was impressive). I think the plant is called asparagus, but it's not literally asparagus.

I've also left it outside overnight for a couple of nights hoping the cold will do them, but not the plant, but I guess it may upset it if I do that for too long or it gets very cold overnight.

Please help.

Thanks.

(why not visit www.ducks4all.co.uk !)

[Mrs Ava]

Just about to post and saw this.  I have a similar problem but with my bamboo.  It is a dense plant, in shade from 3pm onwards.  How do I get rid of the whitefly from this?  I now have sooty mould appearing and it is affecting surrounding plants!  Help!!

[mark_h]

For the bamboo, perhaps try using a extra bamboo pole and put some flycatcher cards on it?   Just a thought


Mark

[undercarriage plan]

OK, never fear, wonder wasp is here!!! For the whitefly on your houseplant, you can use its natural predator, a tiny parasitic wasp called Encarsia formosa. You should be able to buy this from your local garden centre.  Just sprinkle the contents of the container on the plant.  The eggs hatch and live off the whitefly.  You don't end up with huge wasps, they're tiny.  It works like a charm.  Sorry EJ, this only works on inside plants.  Have you asked your garden centre for advice? Mine is very good.  Lottie

[ducksfeet]

Wow that sounds cool, I think I'll give that a go, no more whitefly and entertainment thrown in. Are they the ones Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall used on his poly tunnel to deal with a similar problem?

[undercarriage plan]

You've got me!  No idea! Let me know how you go with them, little darlings....! Have fun.  By the way, just so's you know, the wasps lay their eggs on the white fly, the larvae burrow in and eat them from the inside out!! Should be certificate 18, I feel!  Lottie  ; :o :o :o ;D

[ducksfeet]

You mean you dont watch River Cottage? shame on you. Thanks for the tip. Judging by the full explanation, it's exactly what Hugh used.

Thanks

[undercarriage plan]

Got the book! Watched some of the programme, just end up wanting his house, garden, river, meadow etc...... End up feeling unsatisfied with my lot!! So stopped watching, much happier.  He also charges fortune for cooking lessons, speeches etc.  Not quite so self sufficient as we'd like to think, I feel.  Lottie ;D

[tim]

I would have thought that predators were a very expensive way of dealing with one plant??  And as soon as they've eaten all the bugs they die!

Try a brush?

[Rosa_Mundi]

You could try spraying with a product you find acceptable - as far as I'm aware, they have a 5-day life cycle, so you'd need to repeat a few times at 5-day intervals to get rid of the flies and any offspring that have hatched. They survive outside quite happily, unfortunately.

[Piglottie]

Have no idea if this will help so apologise in advance for sticking my beak in  ;D  but I have problems with aphids etc on plants and I use washing up water (detergent I use is Ecover).  I just pour the warm washing up water over (as and when necessary) and it gets rid of them.  Don't know if it will work on your prob but its cheap and might work!  ???

[Mrs Ava]

Well, have thinned the old bamboo out a bit and then am giving it regular blasts of water from the hose.  Fingers crossed!  I am sure if we had a drop of rain that would help!!