[SUTTY1]

For 4yrs now i've tried to be as organic and environmentally friendly as possible but these little buggars have beaten me.

I would like some feeback as to which brands/types people have had success with. I realise there is no "spray once" wonder product 

I will hopefully be using enviromesh next year but want to tackle the problem now so my sprouts and PSB may actually give me a crop

Please no "friendly" suggestions unless you know they have worked were whitefly is a very serious problem
Thanks
Steve

[domw001]

I try to be as organic as I can but sometimes you need to be brutal if you don't want to lose all you hard work.

Last year (my first year), most of my brassica were decimated by whitefly I probably picked about 2 dozen good sprouts of 18 plants...and that was on Christmas morning.

This year I went on holiday for a week in July and by the time I got back they were back again and colonising the sprouts, swede and broccoli.  Everything was looking awful.

So I bought Provado Ultimate Bug Killer and gave them one very good spray.

Unfortunately I lost 90% of the swedes  but the spouts and broccoli have thrived and its looking better by the week.

I have given them a top-up mini-spray a week or two back but I do not plan to spray them again this year.

Ultimately its each individuals decision to spray or not, and though I would never hire a light aircraft crop sprayer for my 10 rods, the occaisional, localised, chemical warfare does have its advantages.

Good luck

[Yorkie]

The pesticide mentioned by domw001 is often recommended by posters here - but just check before you use that it is indicated for use on that particular plant.  If the plant isn't mentioned on the bottle label then the pesticide isn't licensed for use on it and you should avoid.

[sunshineband]

I know this is not going to help right now but next year you could try hanging those  yellow sticky traps inside your brassica cage, right at the start of the season.

Werks fer me   

[Ice]

Provado is licensed for brassica up to the 8 true leaf stage.  Werks fer me.

[Yorkie]

Provado is licensed for brassica up to the 8 true leaf stage.  Werks fer me.

Thanks, Ice - don't have a bottle to hand so glad you could confirm it's OK 

[Salmo]

Provado is licensed for brassica up to the 8 true leaf stage.  Werks fer me.

Up to 8 leaves is up to, and maybe a bit beyond, planting out stage for brassicas so no good for sprouts etc at this time of year. The chemical is systemic and you do not want to eat it in your Christmas dinner.

It does work and will keep whitefly away for a few weeks after planting out, which allows them to develop. The whitefly then return and the plants are beyond 8 leaves so you cannot spray them again.

[sunshineband]

I don't like spraying anything I am going ot eat tbh, and try to avoid it at all costs 

[SUTTY1]

Thanks all for the interesting and useful info but is there anything i can spray on more mature plants.
Last year in one bed i lost 8 sprout and 7 PSBdespite regular spraying with soap or washing-up liquid., one PSB survived. I know harsh winter wont have helped.
Just thought that bed this year was planted with butternut squash (8 plants) and not a single edible size squash was had. Could all the soap/liquid have caused a problem?

[Yorkie]

Could all the soap/liquid have caused a problem?

Doubt it - are there drainage problems; are they being eaten by insect / mammal; could the area have been previously contaminated with anything?

[SUTTY1]

Didnt think that was was the problem,just a thought. (spuds and peas 2 previous years OK)
Drainage not a problem, my alotment on a slope and this bed at the high point, slightly raised bed with well drained soil.
 No mammal problems and only the odd chewed leaf from cabbage white etc.
Main problem is many whitefly under the leaves leaving whitey/grey deposits and sticky residue, then the leaves turn yellow and die.
Summer, autumn brassicas do suffer a bit but still give a harvest. Any over winter stuff a real problem.
Hopefully its just part off a naural cycle and i wont have a problem in the future.

[fatcat1955]

Not sure if this is whitefly damage, i have had enough of them this year so thay every time i walk past my sprouts i get a white cloud appear. Apart from their droppings which give the lower leaves a black sooty coating , there has been no yellowing of leaves and the sprouts look ok.

[JayG]

Can't help reflecting on how the EU has made sure our arsenal of chemical weapons has now been reduced to a single pea-shooter!

I for one don't see the point of growing your own food if you are going to blitz it with chemicals like the commercial growers do, but it does seem that some pests and diseases (particularly the ones with no "natural" cures or predators) are now starting to get the upper hand, and that doesn't include the XXXXX pigeons, especially woodies, which I don't remember there being so many of a few years ago (nor being as "versatile" in their eating habits!) 

[Flump]

 Apparently an old chap on our allotment has no problems with whitefly.He coats a large tub with pva or such like walks along the plants with the tub above,kicks plants,flies go upwards and they're doomed..will try this next year.