| what is the best to way prevent/or get rids of white flies on Hibuscus and giant bird of paradise? I was told that worm castings under the plant will do it - what is your opinion? |
| Worm castings are an excellent soil amendment, but they won't rid your plants of whiteflies. There are a number of biological controls that you can try to get rid of white flies. Since you're dealing with an outdoor white fly problem, you might want to try releasing lacewings or minute pirate bugs, both available through Gardens Alive! or other catalogs. Other control methods include yellow sticky traps - basically cardboard painted bright yellow and coated with mineral oil or petroleum jelly, and suspended near the tops of plants. Insecticidal soaps work well against white flies, too. Just be sure to spray both top and undersides of leaves. Insecticidal soaps can cause burning of leaves if applied during hot weather, so use caution. Good luck in getting rid of those pesky pests! |
