Re: [gardeners] Our beautiful October garden

Bargyla Rateaver (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 25 Oct 2001 18:44:50 +0100 

it is the soil that matters. If the soil is adequate, the plant will not have the
"flavor' the insect wants.

Alan Zelhart wrote:

> You know what else I was realizing....they have not seemed to bother my
> hibiscus at all.  I wonder if they are more drawn to the lantana, and
> leave the hibiscus alone?
> -----
> Alan        Chandler, Arizona        Sunset Zone: 13
>
> http://www.gizmoaz.com
> Over 200 Roses and 122 Different varieties! Never a dull moment!!
> Check out the Garden Cams on Saturday and Sunday!!
> --
> Delicious Autumn!
> My very soul is wedded to it,
> and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
> seeking the successive autumns.
> ~George Eliot
>
> Alan Zelhart wrote:
> >
> > Carol,
> >
> > I've had a terrible time with white flies this year, worst than I've had
> > in several years. Along the lines you are mentioning, I found the best
> > way to keep them under control is with strong bursts of water on the
> > underside leaves of the plant.  I almost lost some lantana to white
> > flies, but by Spraying the undersides of the leaves withs strong jets of
> > water, 3 or 4 times a week, I was able to rescue them and bring them
> > back to good health.
> >
> > -----
> > Alan        Chandler, Arizona        Sunset Zone: 13
> >
> > http://www.gizmoaz.com
> > Over 200 Roses and 122 Different varieties! Never a dull moment!!
> > Check out the Garden Cams on Saturday and Sunday!!
> > --
> > Delicious Autumn!
> > My very soul is wedded to it,
> > and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
> > seeking the successive autumns.
> > ~George Eliot
> >
> > "Carol J. Bova" wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Folks...
> > > I missed the start of this, so I hope it applies.  Our local L.A. county ag
> > > office told me the only way to get rid of the giant white flies attacking
> > > about 50 of the cemetery's 40 year old hibiscus was to get rid of the
> > > hibiscus.  There is absolutely no chemical control for it they said.  We
> > > decided to try to hold onto them as long as possible, since the giant white
> > > flies didn't attack anything else, so we cut back the worst of the infested
> > > areas, gathering up every leaf and twig, then washed the remainder with
> > > soap and water. (Boy, did the grounds crew love that job....not!)  About a
> > > month later, we handpicked as many additionally infested leaves as
> > > possible.  Then hit the leaves with a low level on our pressure washer with
> > > water only.  Result: two years later... only lost 2 plants, and impact on
> > > the balance is negligible (as of a couple of months ago... haven't been out
> > > to look at them since then!).
> > >
> > > FWIW,
> > >          Carol
> > >          Sunland, CA
> > >
> > > At 11:04 PM 10/19/2001 -0400, you wrote:
> > > >Ron, the chief entomologist of the State of California (I believe I
> > > >have given him his proper title) is named Baldo Villegas. It just
> > > >so happens that he is a fine friend, and we are currently in conversation
> > > >on the subject of how to rid a California garden of white flies.
> > > >
> > > >Baldo's answer is:  get rid of the hibiscus.
> > > >
> > > >There are apparently a number of varieties of white flies, and each
> > > >one would require a different chemical or you would be wasting
> > > >your time. This entails bringing a leafy sample complete with
> > > >tell-tale white flies in to your Cooperative Extension for identification
> > > >(generally not free of charge), and from there they could try to
> > > >suggest what to use, no promises.
> > > >
> > > >You will have to weigh your desire to keep the hibiscus against your
> > > >despair of the white flies.
> > > >
> > > >Penny, NY

--

Bargyla Rateaver
http://home.earthlink.net/~brateaver