Is it just me or has every one got a massive increase in white fly population this year. They are so prolific there are swarms of them in the air, the side of our garage is actually covered in white fly. Their even on my leeks and parsnips something I've never had before.

Ken

Ken,

I can't be too far from you but I haven't noticed huge numbers of whitefly (touch wood). They are on my broccoli but they have not invaded the tomatoes in the greenhouse (yet) which is quite close, even though the door is open most of the time. Perhaps this is down to having pots of Tagetes in there which is supposed to deter them.

MikA

Just walked up the path to my greenhouse and my clothes are now covered in white fly. Now wondering if my neighbours wilderness is a breeding ground.

Ken

It could be your neighbours wilderness Ken, tagetes and marigolds will deter them if planted with your tomatoes, I planted some tagetes early but the slugs ate them, the slugs didn't seem to like marigolds though.

Strange as we have had less whitefly this year than in previous years.

Yep, I've had very little either. the sprouts and purple sprouting are as clean as I have ever known them. No idea why. I do grow lots of French marigolds but they are not near the brassicas.

Beryl.

Maybe they've all gone on holiday to Ken's neighbours

There is a huge fiield of wheat behind our garden and recently I have noticed some whitefly too, which I don't usually have, only a light infestation so far and I am guessing from the monoculture field of wheat behind us. The natural predators are green lacewings, ladybirds, minute pirate bugs, big eyed bugs, and damsel bugs. I am going to trust the natural predators, as chemical sprays against whitefly can kill the bees too, also a well aimed hose under leaves can wash them off plants. I believe there is a nematode treatment for whitefly too.

I have more whitefly on my allotment than I've ever seen in my life!. I normally only get the things on the cabbages, but they're on the weeds (Fat Hen in particular) and are just everywhere.

Neighbouring plot holders have commented on them too.

No problems in the garden as yet.

I will give serious thought to the marigold option next year. Problem now is that I have mould appearing on my sprouts from the sticky residue masses of white fly are causing. Like all gardeners though I think it will be, "Better next year".

Ken

Our sprouts suffered this during the last two years which we think in part was why the plants failed to thrive - we're hoping for better this year and have used a soft soap spray if we saw the first signs of white fly moving in.
In previous years everything weeds, plants etc. have been covered in whitefly. They even ended up in cups of coffee so we are glad to be seeing far less of them this year!

I'm two weeks into spraying with "Savona" (three treatments) and the whitefly is down by at least 80%. First treatment was at the advised maximum of 50-1 but the next two were at 100-1 and still successful.
Hopefully next year with this in my arsenal together with my new venture with companion/beneficial planting I might be whitefly free.

Ken

I have yet to see a White Fly here this year and I have not had any incidents at all and in fact a very pest free year. The only Aphids I saw were on Stinging Nettles over the hedge in the field margin and they have stayed there without actually coming onto the plot. They were obviously not the genus that attack Barley because the crop was Aphid free.
No Black Fly on the Broad Beans or Runner Beans or other beans.
I rather think that the low temperatures of last winter killed off anything that was lurking about.
JB.

So many whitefly around here I reackon if I had to have an autopsy it would confuse the coroner what was in my lungs. I must inhale millions each time I go near the brassicas and thats with soap sprays every week or so.

Westi

The whitefly are just starting to be everywhere - they are late this year!