MynameStitch's Guide to Plant Diseases and Nutrient Deficiencies

Part 3: Pests Troubles

Well this isn’t going to be a long one, just going to talk about what each bug does, what are its symptoms and how to prevent and kill them.

White flys

They look just like tiny months, and lay eggs on leaves and or top of the soil. They are a pest in big numbers and are not very hard to get rid of, they can cause damage by sucking sap from the plants. Here are some ways NOT to get them: Do not overwater your potted plants. Allow the soil to dry between waterings and provide good drainage. Another one is to put sticky traps up when you think you may have them, that way when they get stuck you can identify them.
if you already have white flys, you can use insecticidal soap, this will help stop them from flying so it wont infect other plants.
It also stops them from laying new eggs. If you use the soap reapply weekly.
If insecticidal soap does not work too well, there is some other options that are stronger called PERMETHRIN dust, Which can be used during flowering and is safe on ediable plants.
Here are some other good things to use to rid of white flys: PERMETHRIN and biffen (both are safe to use on ediable plants),
Spreader sticker ( hich allows to apply the spray to a wider area)
Nylar ( works well for inhibiting there growth and development)ORTHENE FOGGERS works well for a small area and are safe on the plants.Other poducts you can try are:

Chemicals
Hot Pepper Wax,Safer Yard & Garden Insecticide (which can be used right to the day of harvest),GNATROL( used in hydro in the water as well as soil),Doc’s Neem Pest Soap,Safer Sticky Stakes,TR-11000 Pyrethrum.

Symphilids

Small pests that are tan to white colored and look like centipedes. They are very deadly to the plants, because they burrow down into the roots and damage them by feeding of them. Your plants leaves will begin to die off. They are found mostly in soil composites that have not been cleaned, like soil that has additives in them such as animal manure. (I know it will smell funny but sterilizing the soil in the oven for 30 min can kill any pests in the soil, heat to 350 for 30 min.) They are easy to tell if you have them, because they come to the top soil when your plant is being watered, if you find you do have them, use Fungus Gnat Killer (“B.T." a non chemical,biological control) in the powdered form. One application should kill it, just to be safe repeat every 7 days to kill off the larvae. Tobacco juice kills them as well! And nematodes.

Picture 2 shows the Symphilids look like…

(photo provided by Diels Alder)

1 Like