Kitchen Garden Forum

Has anybody else noticed a proliferation of whitefly this winter? We don't usually have much trouble with them but this year (even during this cold spell), when I touch plants like violas in the unheated greenhouse, a cloud of whitefly rise up. I have bought some of those sticky yellow cards today and hopefully that might catch some before the real sowing season starts. Any other sugggestions?

I think theres an awful lot of whitefly about this year Monika, i also had some on some primroses that were in the greenhouse, so i also put up a couple of yellow cards, i have also sprayed twice with an insecticidal soap and this seems to have done the trick.
You really need to get on top of whitefly as quickly as possible, as the longer they are left the worse they are to control.

Can you use Derris on whitefly ? I bought some for desperate times - which i am reaching now in the polytunnel with aphids and whietfly amok. Warm winter bodes badly for pests this year.

I was reading the bottle and says it is based on natural plant stuffs and soft soap and is still under the organic remit - Does anyone know if that is true.?

Sorry to hear about your whitefly. I haven't seen any here for the last few years - touch wood. Perhaps they are not keen on NW Wales. Try shouting at them in Welsh

Alan

Hi Alan
You will have to give me a few good expletives to use. If you write them phonetically i can shout them

Waiting for a takeaway to be cooked in Canaervon a young "lady" wandered by talking with great vehemence into her mobile phone.

"welsh welsh welsh welsh, f***ing b*****d!"

Left me with the impression that perhaps anglo-saxon has more capabilities in that direction.

I await correction.

Trousers and I have lived on the borders of Gloucestershire and Wales now for seven years.

Whatever they say, honestly, it's true.......
I promise you, it's true!

I did say "shout" at them. Seeing as Welsh is the Language of Heaven we don't swear at all, and when we do we have to do it in English, only we pronounce it a bit different and spell it phonetically.
Peter's experience is typical.

sounds heavenly Alan. How about some heavenly words to sing away the bugs.

Dear CJ

Here's one I made up earlier.


I ffwrdd â chi pryfetach gwyn!
Ewch i fyw ar ben y bryn!

I don't know if it'll work, as we have no whitefly to test it on

Pob lwc

Alan

I don't sing, especially in Welsh, but I do use anti White Fly netting which is wonderful. No good if your crop is something that needs to be pollinated but then I do not keep Brassica seeds so do not have the problem. My greenhouse and the tunnels are protected with the AWF netting.
JB.

Thanks very much Alan

I am going to try it out on the parsley this afternoon. Any chances of telling me what it means just so i have the gist in my head.

I ffwrdd â chi pryfetach gwyn!
Ewch i fyw ar ben y bryn!

Yes, how about this?

Get away you bad whitefly
Go and live on the hill so high!

Doesn't work if you live at the top of the mountain, though.

Bonne chance/Pob lwc

Alan

Obviously i've got all the whitefly here - driven up here by the chanting

cevenol jardin wrote:Obviously i've got all the whitefly here - driven up here by the chanting

Hi CJ, sorry to hear that.

There's a similar discussion here:
viewtopic.php?t=3301&highlight=

When I mentioned the effect that planting Tansy had here (see 5th message in posting above) a few months back, people said "What do you expect - Tansy is a sacrificial bug deterrent".

Sounds like your mountain top is serving the same purpose.....


Colin