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White flees.

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Bookers

I've been over wintering and soeing some seeds. I've developed white files inside home spare bedroom from I think bringing herbs from a supermarket. I've sprayed neem oil multiple times but haven't rid them! Arrrrg. Ok my plan is to bring them outside and hose this weekend with 70 degrees to be coming... Hose em then bring back in before the next frost prob soon. What say you? Thanks
Seedings and others.

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I have had those in the garage last year also on a bunch smaller plants, they must of came in while mowing the grass and left the garage door open lol. Sprayed the plants down with water plus a teaspoon of neem oil. Then went to the hardware store or even walmart to get all the bright yellow colored paint test strips for free, In addition smeared petroleum jelly all over yellow parts to hang by strings everywhere. White flies are attracted to the yellow and all got stuck within a few days, it was definitely effective too
 
White flies have a complex life cycle.  You may kill the adults, but the juveniles are not killed by the same methods.  Just keep applying Neem.   You'll get them eventually.  But it will probably take you 2-3 weeks, minimum.
 
 
 
juanitos said:
pyrethrin will kill them, need consistent application over 2 weeks to disrupt the life cycle.
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The main reason that I recommend staying with the Neem, is that when you finally do get the last of them - because the juvies have finished growing - you also wipe out their reproductive system.  And I have consistently found, that once I wipe out a whitefly infestation on a singular plant, none ever seem to want to have anything to do with the same plant again. 
 
Neem has been a Godsend for me down here.  Whitefly used to be my worst enemy.
 
bottle of water, add a drop of dish detergent and spray plants with it. That is what i did and it worked out perfect. Check my thread.
 
Detergent is not good for plants.  That would be a last ditch resort.  Also, it won't kill all stages of whitefly.  So repeated treatments.  And it's bad for plants (multiple times, then). 
 
Even when cutting Neem Oil, you want to use a soap, and not a detergent.  
 
What's a good, readily available "soap" that's acceptable for use on pepper plants?
 
When I go to the store now, everything has been jazzed up with detergent.  Even Ivory (I think).
 
Mind you, even with soap, it's not OK just to use it with reckless abandon.  I ONLY use soaps these days on plants, when used as an emulsifier for oils. (like Neem)  
 
I would even go so far as to recommend that you rinse the plants thoroughly after 15-20 minutes of application of a soap and water solution. (do not rinse emulsified Neem off of plants)
 
DontPanic said:
What's a good, readily available "soap" that's acceptable for use on pepper plants?
 
When I go to the store now, everything has been jazzed up with detergent.  Even Ivory (I think).
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I'm no chemist or entomologist so everything I know is from the web. I've seen many posts and web sites that use dishwashing liquid (Note there is no "soap" in that link, main cleaning agents are surfactants.) where insecticidal soap uses fatty acids. There are many web sites, How to Make Homemade Insecticidal Soap for Plants is one, that use Castile Liquid Soap because it's main ingredients are oil (Try to find unscented.) which kills insects two ways, There are two types of oil: crop oils that are derived from soybean and other crops, and inorganic oils that come from petroleum refineries. Some are used as suffocates, which cover the insect and cut of its air supply. Others are used as penetrants to break apart the chitin layers (such as with scales) and cause the insect to die.
 
So why does dishwashing liquid work for so many here, see Using dish detergent? My only answer is they use it with other ingredients, such as neem which is also an oil? 
 
As always, YMMV!
NECM
 
And just to throw a curve ball at'cha, what do you think SAFER® BRAND INSECT KILLING SOAP is made from?    Active Ingredients: Potassium Salts of Fatty Acids 49.52%
 
;) 
 
Ruid said:
Turns out he didn't fit in with the Memphis crowd.
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The_NorthEast_ChileMan said:
I've seen many posts and web sites that use dishwashing liquid (Note there is no "soap" in that link, main cleaning agents are surfactants.) where insecticidal soap uses fatty acids.
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Yep. That's the difference between all soaps and detergents. The best soaps are made from animal fats.


The_NorthEast_ChileMan said:
So why does dishwashing liquid work for so many here, see Using dish detergent? My only answer is they use it with other ingredients, such as neem which is also an oil?
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Detergents work, but they're much more effective at degreasing than soaps, and as such, are prone to stripping away the oily waxy coat on plant leaves. This opens up the plant for bacterial infection - similar to what would happen to you, if someone were to de-mucous you. It doesn't guarantee a dire outcome, but it certainly makes it likely. Also, people may not know the signs of detergent damage, and never make the association.

Long story short... detergents are bad business for plants.
 
I am on board with Neem, and on occasion, a soap solution with dawn soap, 3-day old coffee, and maybe some pepper powder.  Usually works. 
 
I'm currently dealing with a white fly problem across several potted peppers. I thought I had it knocked some time ago, but they are back. I have been using neem oil on them again, but I'm curious if anyone can recommend the optimum interval between applications to break the cycle.
 
Thanks!
 
Weekly, until gone.  Remember to emulsify (with soap, never detergent) before adding to your sprayer, and only spray at night.
 
I made the mistake of using some extremely diluted Dawn in my Neem spray and it still ended up causing some rather bad burns on my shishito plants.
 
Do the oil-based soaps like Dr. Bronner's not have such issues if used in moderation?
 
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