cabbage white fly, what ways can I deal with it?

[gunners71uk]

i have been told fairy liquid in water works is this true.. spray it on ....

[Muddypause]

Don't know the definitive answer about white fly, but I expect it would work. Apparently, washing up liquid works on lots of insects and aphids because they have a waxy skin, which the detergent breaks down, and they can't survive.

Unfortunately, because of some EU law, no one can recommend this anymore, because things can only be used for what they are intended for (or something like that). Washing up liquid has only been approved for washing up purposes, so no book or gardening programme can now suggest you use it for pest control. A load of old nonsense, if you ask me. You can, however, now buy 'horticultural detergent'. My guess is that this is the same as washing up liquid but without the lemony smell, or the stuff that makes your hands so soft and lovely. And you're probably not allowed to suggest anyone uses it for the dishes.

Might be worth considering using Ecover, or similar, because of its bio-degradable properties. Though I suppose this may make it less effective.

[kevin m.]

I was down the allotment on Sunday,and was slightly worried by the clouds of Whitefly that rose up from my Sprouts and Cabbages-though truth be told,they didn't seem to be causing any damage (can they cause virus problems?).
Anyhow,a neighbour DID suggest the soapy water treatment, but then suggested that I ignore this advice,incase the Whitefly decided to vacate my patch for his!

[Lyds]

In this wet weather everything gats washed off..... I tried Derris dust but no good. Odd thing is they have only attacked the Savoy not the Hispi (yet).

[bludge]

whatever spray you decide to use, it needs to be a high volume + thorough spray on the underside of the leaves which may take some time depending how much you are growing. if you were to use a systemic insecticide, the protection would last longer but it should not be applied within a couple of weeks of harvest.

i would also pull up & burn/bury any severly infested plants after harvest to reduce any whitefly surviving to the next season as they overwinter on the severly infested ones.

unfortunatly, there is no biological control for cabbage whitefly like there is for glasshouse whitefly

[Smooth Hound]

i have little white flys on 2 of my peppers and 2 of my courgettes in the green house, what would anyone recommend to do , i have isolated them out of the green house at thee moment.

[MKG]

From the RHS advice site ...

"Fortunately, because [cabbage] whitefly causes little real damage, infestations can be tolerated."

Mike

[Smooth Hound]

thanks

[gunners71uk]

i have found scaffold netting works well as it has a close mesh and still lets the light in you can get a roll off ebay and maybe split it between some other allotmenteers,or ask someone in the building trade, i got some off a guy taking down scaffolding and got given another bit but i always keep an eye out i mean a good allotmenteer needs to be a good skip diver
dave

[Peggy Sue]

I had quite a bit of success with Rhubarb leaves soaked in water as spray