Bad Bugs

Whiteflies can be a real problem. They live 5-8 days and lay eggs, which hatch in only a day or two. The eggs and nymphs are nearly invisible to the eye and live on the underside of leaves. The nymphs and adults flies suck the juice from the leaves and can do considerable damage if left unchecked. When an infestation of the tiny whiteflies is disturbed, they fly out like a cloud.

The remedy is fairly simple, and can be used as a prevention, too. Take one teaspoon of dish soap or a gentle soap like Woollite and add it to a pint of water. Spray this soapy water on the underside of the leaves. Repeat this once or twice a week to kill newly hatched nymphs. Before you spray the whole garden with this mixture, be sure to try it on a leaf first, to make sure it won't be too strong and kill your plants. Perhaps half of a teaspoon of dish soap to a pint of water would do the trick as sometimes it can be fairly strong. Give it a try and let me know!

One year I had whiteflies and tried using a yellow sticky card placed next to the infected plant (another common remedy). I caught the whiteflies all right, and I caught the beneficial wasps, too (which were there to eat the whiteflies---remember, nature has a little lag-time when there are problem bugs). I'd go with the soapy water spray!

NOTE: This would work on aphids, too.