White flies in zucchini

[Sue]

I guess they're white flies - itty bitty absolutely white flying thingies. I had them early on and sprayed with BugBGone. However, now that I'm getting the zucchini I don't want to use any commercial poison. Any ideas? Do they really hurt anything (aside from the fact that I have to hold my breath when I'm in "the patch" to avoid inhaling any of them)? Also, although I'm out there every morning helping out the bees with pollinating I'm still getting several of the little (one or two inches long) yellow to brown to rotten zukes. I'm almost dead certain that I'm not missing any of the females in my morning rounds. Do sometimes the blossoms simply not open so can't be pollinated? Sue

[Vivek.M]

[Sue]

Sue

[John Savage]

Do you have a power cord long enough to take your Hoover to the zucchini plants? If so, fashion something to fit on the end of the suction hose, e.g., from a funnel and nylon fly screen. so that you can bring the hose close to the leaves and *gently* suck the white fly off the leaf without sucking in the leaf itself. No, I haven't tried it. Alternatively, shake the plants to cause the flies to become airborne and sweep the vac through the air to catch them on the wing.

Perhaps use very fine gauze like stretched stocking to make a butterfly net to catch airborne flies on the wing? There is a different method using a bright yellow colour to lure the fly. Smear petroleum jelly over something you have painted bright yellow so the flies get stuck when they land on it.

I've never observed a zucchini bud not open.

-- John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

[Pat Kiewicz]

It's refered to as abortion when the plant drop unopened female flowers. This can happen when the plant lacks the resources to develop fruit, for example when its location is too shady or the plant is suffering from a heavy pest load.

(This always happens on my winter squashes after they have set a 'full load' of fruit.)

[Sue]

This all sounds pretty interesting and worth trying. I've read that the white flies like yellow.

I've been so good about hand pollinating that I just can't figure out why some of the zukes don't mature showing the same signs as unpollinated zukes. Thanks for all your advice. Sue

[Sue]

Thanks, Pat. Maybe it's the white flies. Sue

[Jim Carlock]

White flies seem to like nutrient deprived plants. I just read:

"greenhouse whiteflies attack tomatoes only when magnesium or phosphorous is deficient in the soil."

The book indicates that nasturtiums planted around vegetables helps discourage white fly attacks. It also indicates that you can pulverize nasturtium leaves and throw the dust/powder on other plants and on the soil.

Also, it indicates that ants benefit from and benefit whiteflies.

Grits thrown around the soil seem to help control ant problems. I've not had a whitefly problem this year.

So as far as magnesium goes, I think epsom salt works for that. Perhaps someone else knows of a plant that provides beneficial magnesium to other plants?

The book indicates alfalfa, comfrey and valerian contain good amounts of phosphorous, and indicates all three are good for the compost pile. It indicates that cats like valerian and valerian is used to get rid of rats (by attracting cats).

I'm interested in any comments any others have. I seem to have a phosphorous defeciency myself. Sunflowers do well, but other plants seem to fail (the book indicates that the soil is high in potassium when sunflowers grow like weeds).

Hope this helps.

[Sue]

Thanks. This is all really interesting and here comes the stupid question. When you say that "grits" thrown around the soil help with an ant problem are you meaning the kind of dry grits you buy at the grocery store for grits and gravy or whatever it is they eat in the South? My gentleman friend is growing corn and mentioned that he's starting to get ants. I lost an entire corn crop to them a couple of years ago. Sue