[teasmade!]

hi all

we are doing really well on our allotment at the moment and have loads of runner beans, potatoes and some stonehead cabbages the size of footballs 

however, we are having major problems with the whitefly. we sprayed our other cabbages and sprouts when we had a bad week a month ago, but now they are back with a passion for all our veg!!!! now the insects are at work and doing their best to consume the little buggars but not sure they will have enough of an impact.

so should we spray again?? ( did sort of work last time used stuff from shop it was a chemical) but will it harm all the other bugs as we have quite a few ladybirds and a few hundred hover flies. there are also a few wasps that seem to have picked their patch and guard it (aginst me mainly!! ).

put it this way its that bad that when you walk past anything they are on, its like a mass of white in a swarm!!

[NASH]

I dont have any whitefly problem this year as I did not grow any Brassicas ( except Swede and I dont eat the leaves so does not bother me )

[DD.]

As that last comment was less than remotely relevant in your situation, I'll just reply and say that in general I don't bother too much about whitefly.

They make a bit of a mess of outer leaves, or at least the sooty mould that grows on their deposits does, but it comes away when stripping the outer leaves, or washes off if you need to eat them.

Soak veg in salted water prior to cooking to get rid of the fly.

[Elcie]

I am similar to DD in that I just pretty much ignore them and leave them to it.  They don't seem to do too much damage and it might be my imagination but I seem to get less cabbage white eggs when I have lots of whitefly.

[woodavon]

That's good to know 'cos I have loads of whitefly too and was wondering whether I should be doing something about them!  Loads of hoverflies and ladybirds too so was worried about killing them off.  Now I don't think I'll do anything as it sounds as if they might not do too much damage if left.  Thanks for that.   

[teasmade!]

thanks thats all i needed to know, will ignore it as all else is well 

[DD.]

As per Elcie's comment, whitefly can make a bit of a mess, but do little damage.


I've tried repeated applications of soapy water, but all I get is clean whitefly. Chemical control would need repeated applications which is not good.

Try marigolds, (the French type) interspersed in the crop, the whitefly don't like the smell.

[Rampant_Weasel]

As per Elcie's comment, whitefly can make a bit of a mess, but do little damage.


I've tried repeated applications of soapy water, but all I get is clean whitefly. Chemical control would need repeated applications which is not good.

Try marigolds, (the French type) interspersed in the crop, the whitefly don't like the smell.

i can verify that, i had loads of whitefly on my autumn cabbages so i transplanted a few marigolds from elsewhere in the garden, now i can just see the odd one or two on the cabbages.

[Ian_A]

just remember to keep your mouth shut tight when you wander into your brassica bed and rustle a few leaves.......

[Babstreefern]

Funnily enough now that you mention it, I've not seen any whitefly on my veg this year - thinking about it, I've planted my onions right next to my brassicas - I wonder it that's got something to do with

[DD.]

I've got 300 onions next to my sprouting broccoli.

It's not stopped them. 

[Aunt Sally]

I've had quite a lot of whitefly on my brassicas this year too.  I've managed to knock them back though.

[Babstreefern]

So DD, 300 onions

What are you going to do with them all, make onion soup, onion gravy, onion sauce, battered onion rings, cheese and onion sarnies, cheese and onion flan, I could go on forever

I don't count mine, probably have about 50 or so - they are the mammoths reds and whites - trying to see how big they grow - really big at the moment. 

[Lady Rosemary]

I've got loads of whitefly in my brassica cage and have put those awful yellow sticky sheets up to trap them.  Don't know if it makes any difference - there are plenty stuck to the yellow tape but plenty stuck to the underside of my cabbages too! 

Think I'll try some companion planting next season and take a leaf (sorry for the pun) or two from you lovely people on here.  :happy:

[teasmade!]

just an update and thanks for all the helpful advice 

went today and they seem to be liking certain varieties more than others, in fact i am pretty sure there may be a major war going on that i am sort of aware of!! whitefly versus everything else  but i do believe ladybirds have pulled in reinforcements as they had grown in population today.

wasps seem to have grown in numbers and i think they were having their own disagreements today as sort of fighting amongst themselves but i presumed that they were fighting over their patches!! :blink:

i think marigolds next year are the way to go!!! just enjoying the insects