Colin_M wrote:Can you suggest any predators for Whitefly?
Encarsia formosa
Whitefly - JB's Special Spray
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FelixLeiter
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Allotment, but little achieved.
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alan refail
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But only on greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum). They are not predators you can use outdoors on Brassica whitefly (Aleyrodes proletella)
Cred air o bob deg a glywi, a thi a gei rywfaint bach o wir (hen ddihareb Gymraeg)
Believe one tenth of what you hear, and you will get some little truth (old Welsh proverb)
Believe one tenth of what you hear, and you will get some little truth (old Welsh proverb)
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sarahscottdavies
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Thanks maureenc. I will try that. 
I have decided against trying any nicotine sprays. After a bit of research it has put me off, the will it/won't it damage bees and i am not willing to risk it..BUT also, despite the plagues of white fly and some very sad looking leaves, it is interesting to note my six brussel sprout plants are thriving and have some of the biggest sprouts on them i have ever grown..so it is a lesson to me that these maybe our plants can hold there own against some of these pests without interference from us, so long as they have good soil and water. (also a couple of very heavy downpours seem to have drowned a lot of the buggers).
I have decided against trying any nicotine sprays. After a bit of research it has put me off, the will it/won't it damage bees and i am not willing to risk it..BUT also, despite the plagues of white fly and some very sad looking leaves, it is interesting to note my six brussel sprout plants are thriving and have some of the biggest sprouts on them i have ever grown..so it is a lesson to me that these maybe our plants can hold there own against some of these pests without interference from us, so long as they have good soil and water. (also a couple of very heavy downpours seem to have drowned a lot of the buggers).Sounds as though you have done really well there Sarah despite the initial infestation.... The deluge brought mixed blessings, obviously!
I have never been able to grow Brassicas here as we are plagued by flea beetle then pollen beetle then cabbage stem weevils with mealy bugs for afters.
Sadly, apart from green beans, brassicas are the only veggie that OH will eat...... Sprouts being his absolute favourite.
The delight at producing that perfect Globe Artichoke, the beautiful swollen white bases of Florence Fennel or the first batch of creamy coated Butternut Squash receives the rolling of the eyes treatment followed immediately by a yawn!
Mo
I have never been able to grow Brassicas here as we are plagued by flea beetle then pollen beetle then cabbage stem weevils with mealy bugs for afters.
Sadly, apart from green beans, brassicas are the only veggie that OH will eat...... Sprouts being his absolute favourite.
The delight at producing that perfect Globe Artichoke, the beautiful swollen white bases of Florence Fennel or the first batch of creamy coated Butternut Squash receives the rolling of the eyes treatment followed immediately by a yawn!
Mo
Hi Sarah,
I am prepared to use Nicotine but always sprayed when the crop is covered with either lightweight Polythene or heavy fleece. By taking this precaution I only kill off the intended targeted pest. Apart from the fact that I have had no need to use it as a generally rule because my crops are mainly grown under protection. It is now about five years since any incident has warranted its use.
If I were to use Nicotine it would be done in a very responsibly way and very late on in the day when the Bees have retired from the scene. It is very effective against White Fly and certainly you get an almost instantaneous eradication of Flea Beetles.
There is nothing special about my Nicotine spray it is simply discarded cigarette butts boiled in water and allowed to cool sieved and decanted with a warning label very visibly displayed. It is kept under locked conditions at all times when not being used.
Having said all of that I keep it in my armoury against White Fly after an incident here that would make your hair stand on end. An Organic Nursery on the neighbouring property that was responsible for infecting my nursery and almost the entire County and adjoining Counties with White Fly. He also managed to lose me an enormous amount of money when he later infected my nursery with Vine Weevil!
JB.
I am prepared to use Nicotine but always sprayed when the crop is covered with either lightweight Polythene or heavy fleece. By taking this precaution I only kill off the intended targeted pest. Apart from the fact that I have had no need to use it as a generally rule because my crops are mainly grown under protection. It is now about five years since any incident has warranted its use.
If I were to use Nicotine it would be done in a very responsibly way and very late on in the day when the Bees have retired from the scene. It is very effective against White Fly and certainly you get an almost instantaneous eradication of Flea Beetles.
There is nothing special about my Nicotine spray it is simply discarded cigarette butts boiled in water and allowed to cool sieved and decanted with a warning label very visibly displayed. It is kept under locked conditions at all times when not being used.
Having said all of that I keep it in my armoury against White Fly after an incident here that would make your hair stand on end. An Organic Nursery on the neighbouring property that was responsible for infecting my nursery and almost the entire County and adjoining Counties with White Fly. He also managed to lose me an enormous amount of money when he later infected my nursery with Vine Weevil!
JB.
Hello Johnboy..... It's been many years.... I trust you had an excellent holiday in France.
I never did get the Skirret roots to grow properly..... They sat there in the soil for months and sent up a few measly shoots which then died during the following winter.... Don't suppose you had any better luck with the "gold plated" ones?
Mo
I never did get the Skirret roots to grow properly..... They sat there in the soil for months and sent up a few measly shoots which then died during the following winter.... Don't suppose you had any better luck with the "gold plated" ones?
Mo
Well hello blast from the past Mo,
I kept the Skirret going until this last winter and that was the end of them. They are not so hardy as everybody makes out. They are a very acquired taste and I'm afraid I have no seed left. But at least we did get them to germinate in the end which I thought was quite an achievement.
I kept on growing them and not using them so I was rather thankful that they died a natural death.
I would like to know more about this milk treatment because here I use unhomogenized full fat milk. I cant really see that homogenized would not work because with homogenizing they only pass the milk through exceedingly small holes to break-up the cream particles which become evenly distributed throughout the milk.
Keep in touch there is always the private message route and a letter would always be welcome. Perhaps the odd letter would prevent me from being the miserable old sod you think I am!
Sincerely,
JB.
I kept the Skirret going until this last winter and that was the end of them. They are not so hardy as everybody makes out. They are a very acquired taste and I'm afraid I have no seed left. But at least we did get them to germinate in the end which I thought was quite an achievement.
I kept on growing them and not using them so I was rather thankful that they died a natural death.
I would like to know more about this milk treatment because here I use unhomogenized full fat milk. I cant really see that homogenized would not work because with homogenizing they only pass the milk through exceedingly small holes to break-up the cream particles which become evenly distributed throughout the milk.
Keep in touch there is always the private message route and a letter would always be welcome. Perhaps the odd letter would prevent me from being the miserable old sod you think I am!
Sincerely,
JB.
Ah Johnboy, I would never call you a miserable old sod.... "grumpy" was the word... All of us old fogeys become grumpy..... And with very good reason!
You gave the Skirret a good run for it's money then.... Ah well... They just weren't meant to become the latest super food, were they?
The reason for using non-homogenized is (from what I had read on the subject) because you have proper large fat globules (instead of little wimpy ones) which means that they smother better and the fatty acids can get to work faster on the pests' bodies..... I may not have explained this very well but I know what I mean! And it certainly worked for me..... Would probably have worked faster if I'd not diluted it, but it's not easy to come by around here and one pint wouldn't have gone very far......The method has been recommended by several Veg growing experts over the past years.
Drinking all of that healthy non-homogenized milk is probably one of the reasons you are so fit and feisty still Johnboy!
I think writing a letter would be a very pleasant thing to do..... I have checked and (unless you've moved?) I still have your address and E-mail..... I believe I even have a proper fountain pen and some real Vellum somewhere.....
Will be in touch soon
Mo
You gave the Skirret a good run for it's money then.... Ah well... They just weren't meant to become the latest super food, were they?
The reason for using non-homogenized is (from what I had read on the subject) because you have proper large fat globules (instead of little wimpy ones) which means that they smother better and the fatty acids can get to work faster on the pests' bodies..... I may not have explained this very well but I know what I mean! And it certainly worked for me..... Would probably have worked faster if I'd not diluted it, but it's not easy to come by around here and one pint wouldn't have gone very far......The method has been recommended by several Veg growing experts over the past years.
Drinking all of that healthy non-homogenized milk is probably one of the reasons you are so fit and feisty still Johnboy!
I think writing a letter would be a very pleasant thing to do..... I have checked and (unless you've moved?) I still have your address and E-mail..... I believe I even have a proper fountain pen and some real Vellum somewhere.....
Will be in touch soon
Mo