White Fly

[john_miller]

I thought I had read somewhere that it was the smell of tagetes that discouraged pests? If what you have read is correct instead, my thought is that hoverflies et al are adapted to the cooler climates of the UK outside  a greenhouse and, with all the food sources out there, would be unlikely to go into foreign territory, such as inside a greenhouse.

[john_miller]

[teresa]

Hi John
good point, I too heard the smell of the marigolds keep them away did not have much luck with them in the greenhouse but have you heard of planting basil with the toms in the greenhouse ment to work might giveit a go this year.
Teresa

[busy_lizzie]

Hi, This has all been fascinating stuff. I recently started an"Allotment Book", where I have plans and notes and articles etc., and some of these suggestion are definitely going to be included in its pages. Thanks!  :D busy_lizzie

[ciderself]

- yes, indeedy! - just floating ideas.
And, of course, jetting only mature plants.  And I don't mean a fire hose!

My 'behindhandedness' was through referring to ciderself's query, rather than BL's original post.  Tim

Hi everyone
- bit of a fight to get to the computer. I'm afraid. Then realise I hadnt signed out when 'pushed' out of the hot seat.
In reply to Tim's query. about a couple of weeks ago  whilst digging on the lottie - (no cultivated plants in there yet, just the usual couch grass etc.) all that morning we were surrounded by whitefly. Dont know whether we were disturbing them - could they have been on top of the soil? No one on neighbouring allotments had started putting in brassicas then.
I certainly agree with Busy - will be taking a lot of info away from your input guys. Thanks.

[busy_lizzie]

Hi, My sister e-mailed me today with this Remedy for White Fly, which Her Herbal Medicine Teacher recommended.  It is Garlic Water.  :) Sorry don't have quantities  ??? but you crush some garlic in a bottle of water and shake it every hour or so, and the next day spray it on the white fly.  :D Anything is worth a try, - another one for my book!  busy_lizzie

[tim]

- a couple of thoughts - no argument:

1. I still find it impossible to get the companion ready at the right time - and continue throughout the seasonand then you have to weed it?

2. Yellow - as in sticky traps - atttracts insects? Sadly, hoverflies too.

3. And John - most years our cold 'house is full of hoverflies, some ladybugs and some lacewings. This year? Zilch!! -And we DON'T spray. -  Tim

[MagpieDi]

Excellent info on IPM ......thanks John!
So, as I read it, the Shoo fly plant would be useless as a companion plant!! ( i.e. shoo on to the tasty veggies next door!!  ;D )
Very pretty flowers and have to say, grown it for years and not a beastie in sight!! Will check it's neighbours with interest next year!

[john_miller]

Tim:- I made the presumption that greenhouse referred to something that you closed every night and kept at 15C. That is my habituation. As I understand it the UK had a warm summer this year (or was it just dry?)- perhaps this may be the cause of the absence of hoverflies for you?
Ciderself:- The whitefly you find on cultivated brassicas will also go onto various cruciferous weeds ("mustards") such as Shepherds needle and Shepherds purse. These may be the source of the whiteflies that were bothering you.
MagpieDi:- If the Shoo fly plant works for you then I am certainly not going to contradict you. Everyone's circumstances are different, what works for some, in certain circumstances even, may not be repeated again under changed conditions. part of what I love about growing is the constant challenges that it presents.

[campanula]

eugh, all over my daturas too - I have a homemade concoction of lavender, garlic and teatree oil which I crush and soak in boiling water and fairy green - I beleive in keeping all possible options open. I don;t really have constant amounts of ingredients as active ingredients vary so much from plant to plant but it is fairly pokey. I let it cool and put in an atomiser. In truth, I am never very sure which 'ingredients' are efficacious and have even considered that the blasting from the spray does the trick. Aphids, whitefly and spidermite all seem to detest it tho'. On the subject of Nicandra (so-called shoofly), I never found it shooed a single fly of any species and selfseeds like crazy. I had one little plant in my garden over 4 years ago and I am still picking out seedlings which seem to have got everywhere.
My kids are also not convinced and mutter about the 'witches garden' - aconites, hellebores, foxgloves and loads of daturas!

[Fleur]

After having yearly infestations of whitefly on the greenhouse tomatoes, I tried Thompson and Morgans 'special marigold' which claimed to repel them. I put one plant in with each tomato, crushed a few of the leaves when watering to release the strong sent and didn't see one whitefly all summer.

[tim]

Another couple of thoughts?

1. John - 'cold-house' - yes, door shut at night but the vents often stay open all through, and many days too, but 15deg ? - you have to be joking! ! It's been below zero several tmes in the last month.

2. Companions - as John says, each to their own. And, as I have said, I'm too thick to get them to flower as soon as the toms are in, and go on flowering throughout their life. And - one other thing -  in over 40 years, we have had aphid and red spider, but never white fly. - Tim