The white flies are nesting in the neighborhood bushes. I'm not sure of what kind of bushes the are but I want to say seagrass or something. The manatees eat them when they are near water. Anyways they visit my garden and I'm already fighting blight fungus mold and anything brought on by humidity and rain. I already took out my spider mite infestation. But they got the last laugh cause I lost ALL my bean plants. Now these white flies got another thing coming if they think I'm going to let them in on this action! Humph! I already treat my plants with dish soap with there morning watering if I water cause we've had afternoon showers lately and I'm trying to monitor the water intake. And every Sunday I'm using neem oil until summers over to help. So I think that's how I've kept them down a bit. Plus I used my ortho rose pride on the marigolds, roses and Daisies, which I was trying not too but it came down to a last resort basically. So I read some articles on the subject and here's what I've found: 1) They said to pee on your plants. Hahaha can u just see me out there copping a squat over my marigolds?! I don't think so... 2) Another lady said to plant marigold cause white flies hate the smell of flowers. Well tell that to the marigolds who are the main ones under attack. 3) And I also read that if you grate a bar of ivory soap and use that instead of liquid soap during watering it works better. I'm not sure but its a normal approach. 4) I am going to try this one for sure! The article said to paint small peices of cardboard yellow and apply petroleum jelly to attrack and trap the flies. It said to put it on a stake for every other plant. 5) Neem oil was another approach but I'm already treating with that and its doing the best it can. 6) Now this stuff I read about has me on the fence. I'm not sure if its believable. But its a dust supposidly organic called whitefly gaurd. Claims to clear infestation up in a couple days. And not harm beneficial bugs, kinda explained that when the get the dust on there legs and the fly cleans its self that it ingest the dust and it shuts down its organs. (What a way to go) so why does that only attack the fly is my question? Hhhmmm 7) And since I have potted plants and live in florida where its hot I'm not trying this but the article said to use a roll of reflected mulch. I never knew mulch came in a roll. In my head I imagined a roll of aluminum foil ok. And its not for hotter places due to the whole heat reflection thing. So anyways if you have any advice or tips bring it on. Haha And if you are weirded out by some of the above mentioned please share. The problem area is right in the corner where my huge pot of marigolds are. They seem to be attracted to them and the hot pepper plant over there next to the mint. But its only a handfull not a huge cloud like I've seen someplaces. I've also considered treating the bush that's behind my trellis. Its not the kind I've mentioned above but the one closest to my patio.
