Hi Stan,
Thank you for taking my e-mail (white-fly)
I moved into a home in St.Albert and it has a lot of Virginia creepers. I haven't had them before and soon found out that they are aggressive plants and now I love them. The plant has a problem though, in late August lots and I mean lots of little white bugs covered the plant mostly under the leaves and within two weeks all the leaves turned brown and fell off. My wife took a sample into Hole's Greenhouse and one of their staff thought it may be an aphid but it was a clear and white insect, not the green ones that I have seen. I tried some insecticides but as soon as that batch was dead another would come along. How can I get rid of them?
I also have a problem with sow bugs, there was some old wood around one side of the house and I cleaned that up but even now they somehow get into the house. I tried a pesticide infused in a food product but then I was told they don't live that long so it would be ineffective.Again what do I do?
Thanks
Bill
Bill - A lot of my return information, is predicated by no, or bad information.
You have white fly, and the plant they are feeding on is one of their most favorite outdoor targets.
Before the vine begins to show any sign of growth, minimize the excessive growth by pruning out a lot of the vines that cause the most density.
Pick up a bucket of bone meal and work I cup per. every 3 square feet of soil that the vine [s] is growing from.
When the leaves begin to show , fertilize with 10 52 17, a root booster with very little nitrogen. It is the nitrogen the white fly can detect, as it increases the leaf size and by expanding the cells in the leaves and stem... the very best of food for these thingies.
Next, pick up a Doktor Doom spray tin labeled House and Garden Insecticide Spray, with a green cap.
The sow bugs will also be controlled with the same spray, up to 3 months, if the spray area is devoid of direct sun light.
Thanks for your note.BACK