Is permethrin permitted?

[Monika]

Most of our brassicas seem to be affected by brassica whitefly or brassica mealy bug, they certainly don't look at all happy. Is it permitted to use permethrin? And if so, which commercial product should I buy?

[alan refail]

Monika

According to the RHS list of withdrawn chemicals, permethrin is not available:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/publications/pubs ... cides2.asp

I know it's no help to you, but I notice that whitefly and mealy aphid are a problem likely to be encountered much more on allotments than private gardens. When I gardened on allotments in Leeds, whitefly in particular were a perennial infestation, and I assure you that no-one ever got rid of them by any method - or if they did they came straight back through cross-infestation.
Now I grow on my own land, far away from any other vegetables, I have not even seen a whitefly in 7 years.
I learned to live with whitefly; mealy aphids were more of a problem, but much less common.

RHS advice:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles11 ... itefly.asp
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles05 ... _aphid.asp

Alan

[Monika]

Many thanks, Alan, that's been really helpful. From the RHS website, I have identified the pest as mealy cabbage aphid, because the central new leaves are all pinkish yellow and distorted. It's the first time we have ever experienced that, so I'm afraid we shall have to use some (safe) insecticide. The strange thing is that of the eight plots on our allotments, only four grow any brassicas at all and ours seem to be the only ones affected, so far. All our brassicas were grown from seed, not bought in.

[Jenny Green]

There are organic pesticides based on fatty acids which I think would tackle the problem. It's possible that yours were the only ones grown 'soft' eg grown in a greenhouse or given too much fertiliser.
All my brassicas are now grown under fleece as I find it's the only way to keep the pests off them.