Every year I have the same problem...WHITEFLIES!
They attack the coleus outside and no matter what I use they still come back! This time they are in the cuttings I took from my "Fishnet Stockings" plant. I am going to try some spray that kills whiteflies, but what is your method of ridding your coleus of this awful critter?
Whiteflies
I use orthene in the greenhouse, it smells bad but works well. I have tried many things and this is the only one that worked for my whiteflys in the greenhouse.
Whiteflies are a pain! I wash my cuttings in a little joy. Then spray every 3-4 days with a mix of bug buster by monterey and insect killing soap by safer. Also, I hang yellow sticky paper up. Safer makes one that is made for white fly. In my greenhouse during the fall I use a insect bomb in the empty greenhouse. I use Pro-control by whitmire micro-gen. Then wash the whole greenhouse with a bleach soulution.
In all the reading that I have done I have found that white fly are attracted by the color Yellow! I try no to use that color much just for this reason.
I have never wiped the population out but have kept them at low levels. Some years it is bad here others you never see them.
I also watch when I buy plants and look for signs of white fly. If I see any I buy at another place!
Use any systemic that contains Imidacloprid (derived from nicotine). There are many brands on the market in both liquid and powder form. Works great for me. (I use the Bayer 12-month shrub and tree systemic).
Well,I'm knocking on wood,twice. I have had whitefly problems in my greenhouse & outside this summer.But,I have never seen any of the little beasties on my coleus. Guess I must have a lot of other favorite plants they like. Like hibiscus & geraniums & petunias. I washed all plants with soapy water & dipped cuttings in alcohol & water. Also sprayed susceptible cuttings with Wiltproof.
Doris