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Sassenachlands's avatar
Sassenachlands
Contributor 3
22 days ago
Solved

Whiteflies on Azalea's

Hello, We are new to Jobber. My husband and I have been in the Landscaping Trade for over 15 years and as always we have run in to the homeowner who prefers their yard to be free from chemical pesticides. This is something I do to keep our Azalea's free from whiteflies. What are some of your remedies?

  • Mix: Combine 1 to 2 teaspoons of mild dishwashing liquid (like dawn) with 1 gallon of water. (Avoid heavy-duty, anti-bacterial, or bleach-containing soaps).
  • Apply: Pour the solution into a spray bottle and apply it directly to the whiteflies.
  • Target: Spray the underside of the Azalea leaves, as this is where whiteflies hide and lay their eggs. 

 

Thank you, Miranda and Dave

Sassenach Landscaping

  • julie's avatar
    julie
    21 days ago

    Whiteflies are such a nuisance! Thanks for sharing your recipe. 
    Although I haven't tested it on whiteflies, I've used a neem oil, mild dishwashing liquid, and water solution for aphids. 

2 Replies

  • julie's avatar
    julie
    Jobber Community Team
    21 days ago

    Whiteflies are such a nuisance! Thanks for sharing your recipe. 
    Although I haven't tested it on whiteflies, I've used a neem oil, mild dishwashing liquid, and water solution for aphids. 

  • Sassenachlands's avatar
    Sassenachlands
    Contributor 3
    14 days ago

    Great post! Thank you for sharing this information. Aphids can be incredibly frustrating for gardeners, but nature often provides some of the best solutions.

    In my area, I'm fortunate to be able to purchase both ladybugs and praying mantises as natural pest control options. Ladybugs are excellent predators of aphids and can consume large numbers of them throughout their life cycle. Praying mantises are also effective predators, but they are much less selective in what they eat.

    One interesting thing many people don't realize is that praying mantises are considered generalist predators. They will eat almost any insect they can catch, including beneficial insects such as ladybugs, bees, butterflies, and even other mantises. Because of this, if you're introducing both ladybugs and praying mantises into your landscape, it can be helpful to release them in different areas to give the ladybugs a better chance to establish themselves where aphid populations are highest.  If Whiteflies are the main concern Delphasyus Calalinae is a small beetle that specializes in feeding on whiteflies. 

    I always enjoy seeing gardeners use biological controls before reaching for chemical treatments. A healthy garden ecosystem with beneficial insects often does a remarkable job of balancing itself over time.