Kitchen Garden Forum

For the last few years my kale and sprouts have been ruined by severe infestations of whitefly, so this year I did not grow any. Sods law, there isn't any whitefly anywhere on our allotment site. Has anyone any idea why this is? Is it general? Could it be a bonus from climate change? I am in Gloucester.

I,ve noticed the same thing with my curly kale. This year I don,t seem to have any or very little,the. Last year it was covered. Probably sky something to do with climatic conditions . We had some very hot weather and dryness last summer and I wonder I'd that triggered a breeding frthe breeding frenzy. They don,t seem to like a lot of moisture so perhaps the rainy periods discouraged breeding?

I notice if I bring any pepper plants indoors to overwinter a late ripening crop the dryness in our living room soon encourages whitefly. Perhaps if I sprayed them regularly with water that would discourage them.

Still a pain down south, although I have found regular spraying with some washing up liquid in water does seem to help. I still find them on the plants I just don't get that great cloud of them lifting off when I get near.

had to throw all my Kale away last week , desimated by whitefly, they even seem to like the soapy spray I use!!

Thats a shame. I,ve found in the past, if you pick what you need and soak in masses of cold water, possibly with a dash of vinegar In It you eventually kill off all the whitefly but you still need to give it a really good rinse afterwards. Of course they would all get killed in the boiling water in which it's cooked but you really don't want that kind of meat ration with your veg.

I wonder if spraying the actual plants with with with a dash of vinegar would kill them off. Guess it's too late to try that now.