Author Topic: White fly - a new spray? (Read 1860 times)

Carol Knights · « **on:** March 10, 2011, 05:50:05 am »

We had so much trouble with white fly last year - the brassicas were smothered in it. I just wondered if anyone has the answer to keeping the little s**s away.

Frieslandfilly · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2011, 09:19:51 am »

It was a bad year for white fly last year, I am going try growing marigolds near the brassicas this year, my mum swears it works LOL!

Carol Knights · « **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2011, 07:20:22 pm »

Hello,
Yes we use French Marigolds in our polytunnel and it does work. Once sown and allowed to go to seed, every year they grow again. But we tried using the same technique outside in the brassica beds and it doesn't work. There is, of course, no proper roof to keep the smell round the plants. We already grow the outside veg in fruit cages to keep the pigeons off and we did have to cover the lower 18" of the sides in chicken wire to keep the rabbits out but the b. white flies don't care and make a meal of our meal - I'm getting close to giving up on brassicas but I love the bitter flavour. Oh well perhaps an oily spray might help maybe with a bit a essential oil of lavender I think I'll give that a go this year. $:-\$

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violet · « **Reply #3 on:** April 06, 2011, 12:16:34 pm »

Try a soap spray.

Either make your own from an environmentally friendly basic soap/ washing up liquid or you can buy one that is specified for the job ( organic gardening catalogue do one I think).

If you are selling your veg, by rights you should buy one that is specifically for pesticide use. Because anything that is used as a pesticide must be regulated no matter how safe.