Help! Whiteflies in my greenhouse

My tropical hibiscus pots are beginning to sprout back out. I just found whiteflies on one of them. What should I do before I have a real mess on my hands?

Can you wash them off? That's the least toxic method. And it works if you can do it whenever you
see them on your plant. (wash off with water I mean)

I did wash them off this time. I'm just afraid of them coming back.

Whiteflies love hibiscus. I battled them all last winter before finally around the end of February I threw out the plant.

Neem oil is very effective, 2T/gal. I also add about 1/2 tsp baby shampoo per gallon. Alternatively 2T baby shampoo/gal alone will work. I found dish soap to be phytotoxic to some plants, but I don't remember it hurting the hibiscus. Repeat sprays seem to work better, every 5-7 days for a month.

Good luck. SB

I think that I have some Neem Oil in the shed. I'll try it tomorrow. Thanks. I just don't want to see the whiteflies take over my greenhouse.

Good luck!
Tam

I buy the yellow dixie plates and cups,and spread tanglefoot all over then and run a piece of wire thru it and hang next to my hibiscus and some hang them right in the plant,shake the palnt and they fly right to the yellow plate or cup and stick to there death!!!

ok!! What's tanglefoot? Where can I get it?

I buy it at my local nursery,real sticky like grease

Info on back

I cut the plates in quarters,spread the stuff on ,run wire for hanger

Hang them all over the greenhouse,they catch the flies,fungus knats
and the whitflies like crazy!

I'm trying gnatrol from Gardens Alive today. Its a BT strain for fungus gnats.
The fans work well in my greenhouse but I don't have any setup in my basement
light setup (new setup.) The gnats are terrible!

Hi Tropicman,

Could you do the same thing with Vaseline?

I tried it and it seemed to melt at temperatures over 85*,or because the sun was melting it,not sure which one,same thing with honey.
I also tried that glue that comes in a spray can,buit it dried up to soon.
This tanglefoot is good stuff stays sticky for ever.
Believe me it's worth the money,I also just stick the wire with the yellow
plate right into the soil in the pots,ants and other crawling bugs climb right up the wire onto the stcky stuff,and never walk down again.

thanks TM! the company ought to give you a commision there sales just jumped up!

Hope it works as good for you as it does for me!

hmm..never herd of it..BUT..looks like I,ll need some..where can i get it?
Gord

I get it local tree nursery,but here's online link.

http://www.redrocknursery.com/garden_netting.htm#Tree%20Tanglefoot

Why wouldn't just regular fly paper work?

Is it the color yellow that attracts them?
Then it probably would.

yes whiteflies are attracted to yellow and generally go to foliage that is yellow-like sweet potato and yellow coleus. One of the hardest pests to get rid of in the greenhouse! Hate them with a passion lol. Oil works well because it will work on the eggs.

And they seem to thrive in this period from March to May, and again from Sept to November...when the greenhouse is warm, but not quite warm enough to have the exhaust fans running a lot... this is just my observation...SB