You are probably wondering what are those little white flying bugs on your indoor plants. Well, you’re in the right place for answers. They are whiteflies, mostly active during the daytime. The good news is you can easily spot them. Find out more information here and learn how to control and get rid of whiteflies.
How do these whiteflies harm your indoor plants?
– they will suck the plant juices
– whiteflies produce a sticky substance known as honeydew
– the honeydew can cause fungal diseases on the leaves
– plants will become extremely weak and dry
– leaves will turn yellow
– the growth will be slowed
– honeydew will also attract the ants
– you may also find eggs on the undersides of leaves.
Thus, a new generation of whiteflies took over your plants! You need to prevent this from going any further because your indoor plants will suffer the most. So let’s see what can we do!
Tips and tricks to get rid of whiteflies and save your indoor plants
1. Watering and insecticidal soap
As you can see, the first is watering your plant carefully and then spraying an insecticidal soap. Also, make sure to insist on the undersides of leaves since there are hiding most of them. The best time to do this is late at night when the temperature is cooler. Due to heat, this treatment might hurt your plant. Give this method a chance to work for 2-3 times and see the results.
2. Try a homemade mixture
This homemade mixture should be helpful to control and deter whiteflies: Use a mixture of dishwashing liquid with lemon, and water. A good squirt of soap to a gallon of water should work. As mentioned above, only spray in cooler temperatures. Early in the morning or late in the day is best.
3. Reflective mulch
Mulch early in the season with aluminum reflective mulch, especially when it comes to tomatoes and peppers. The reflective mulch makes it challenging for whiteflies to find their host plants.
4. Sticky yellow card
This solution never gets old. Mostly because it is very effective. A half-and-half mixture of petroleum jelly and dishwashing detergent, spread over small boards painted bright yellow, is sticky enough to catch little whiteflies. So give it a try!