White flies on seedlings

On my hardy hibiscus seedlings I have white flies--I have tried running them under water to wash them off but they came back. I heard neem oil works--so I bought some and it said hibiscus are sensitive to neem oil so not to use it--has any one tried neem oil on them? Does it hurt the plants? If so does any one know what else to use? Thanks Cheryl

I think I read that Bayer tree and Shrub works on whitefly. That stuff is so easy, you just water the soil and it lasts up to a year.

edited to add this
http://www.bayeradvanced.com/garden/products/details.cfm?id=12

This message was edited Feb 5, 2006 12:37 PM

How about regular Ultrafine oil. Do you think they would be sensitive to that?

Thanks for the info--when I get back home I will try it--I had a great time with Susan--she is so nice--I love Texas--Susans yard was awesome!!!!!!

I know the Bayer 3 in 1 works great on my roses, a real lifesaver. They have drenches, so the stuff won't hard delicate flower petals, it's systemic.
Good luck, Nikki

PS I bought a hibiscus tree last fall and planted it. It's a Rose of Sharon, but I'm not sure which. Can't wait to see it bloom.......We still have a couple more weeks of cold....Boooo

I tried Avid on them and they came back so now Im going to transplant them and put Bayer in the pots--it says on the label not to use inside--is it ok to use inside?

It said not to.....I called the 800 # and the operator said not to use it on potted plants......but she sounded like she was reading the label. So I asked at a good nursery, and they said it would be fine. I used it on my potted roses who were pretty young and it worked great! I had major insects.......thrip, aphids, you name it ......After one tx.........completely gone, no black spot nada. I put them outside, but they were in and out. I think they just don't want you putting it in small cont..........would probably burn them, but you can just alter the concentration. I used the same conc. for my 3 gal roses.........I figured that was enough room.
Hope that helps..........you could ask a nursery also.
Nikki

Thanks Nikki--I think I will try it but dilute it down--thanks for the info--hope it works--Im sick of the bugs!!! Cheryl

Hi birthday girl!!

I do not think it burns though, Nikki. I use it. If you use it diluted, it may not work. It needs to have enough to work its way thru all the leaves and stems.

I wonder if it smells or if they are afraid you will spill it inside. Or if you have saucers, it the family pet will drink from them.

Glad you had fun at Susies Cheryl. She is so nice.

I had whiteflies and aphids. I got out my old Jerry Baker book. I boiled water and soaked chewing tabacco, garlic and an onion in it. After the water turned nice and brown, I sprayed it on my plants. It has worked wonders. Just a thought.

Maybe I will have to try that--I sprayed with Avid again yesterday--when I have time I will transplant them into bigger pots and try Bakers mix--I have heard alot about him but I havent ever tried his stuff--maybe I should--Im sick of spraying them all. Thanks for the info

This is time they start selling lady bugs around here .
Put a large plastic bag over the plant and open bag .
BE CAREFUL NOT TO LEAVE IN SUN - you will cook plant and lady bugs .
After a 4 or 5 hours , take off bag and the lady bugs will leave . I try to do it at night , The lady bugs are less active and just crawl and did .
The next morning about 10 or 11- I remove the bag.

I just saw your post that you sprayed with Avid ,
Try the lady bugs next time .
They would probably die from the Avid . I would still cover with a bag to keep from spreading to other plants .

Tonyjr--Thanks for the info--I have been finding lady bugs around the house and putting them on my plants--and like you said since I used avid the lady bugs die--I hate those white flies--hard to kill!!!

I had the same thing happen to my hibiscuses last season....the newborn bugs deformed my blooms... they had tattered edges.... I bought some INSECTICIDAL SOAP by Schultz... I think... killed the bugs.... AND its ORGANIC... those little devils even invaded my daylilies... this spray does NO HARM to my daylilies...however, the came back.. notas bad an infestation... but whenever I see 'em... I spray 'em DEAD... HA!!!..you know, it never occured to me to use something systemic... hmmm.... terrible to have slow brain function at the tender age of 40 huh? HA!!

This is really off the wall but it worked for me when I had a serious infestation of WF on my H. mutabilis, Confederate Rose.
I had read on another forum about using worm castings under the plant, within the drip line. Supposedly the plants take up the "flavor" of the worm castings and the WF do not care for the scent and leave. I had to buy the castings and I used a brand called "Wiggle Worm" and applied them heavily.
It sounds hokey but after trying the castings on both the Confederate Rose and my Gardenias, I have never had another WF in the garden. It certainly could have been
coincidence but no matter what, I am happy.