White fly has been out of control for several years now in the area. It wiped out a good deal of ficus in the first year or two. The local human population began spraying. White fly are becoming resistant to the usual pesticides, and, unfortunately, this winter was too warm to put a dent in the population. Now that it's getting warm and humid -- the world is their oyster..
Some of the plants respond well to a protective systemic douche. Plumeria does and once treated stays that way for a good long while. (Plumeria leaves will begin to curl when irritated, a healthy plumeria leaf is a glossy, with slight waves along the edge). Systemic poison does nothing to protect the wiry duranta. An important and obvious gardening axiom -- a healthy plant is always able to defend itself against insects more successfully than one that's stressed. I have begun to pay more attention to the watering and feeding of the duranta and it no longer snows when I rustle its branches.
The Vietnamese gardenia has had intermittent issues with new growth being sucked dry by the flies. Right now, it's leaves are as glossy as I've ever seen a gardenia and it has had a good bloom period. I noticed today one spot of new growth covered in the fat little suckers. I had the great pleasure of smearing them between my fingers. It was very satisfying- and I'm not one to take pleasure in gratuitous violence toward insects. I wonder if feeding the shrub a mixture of Superthrive, fish/guano emulsion and soil acidifier (iron + minerals) might not be to the insects liking so much.
The potato tree has been dropping leaves, I can't tell whether it's a fungus or white fly. White fly can pass disease.. I don't think it a fungus due to over-watering as the transpiration of the colossal leaves on this thing must drink up a good deal on a sunny day, which we've been having regularly now for 3 months. Keeping it well groomed seems to make a big difference with this big boy. It's looking perky now after a good watering in.
What to do during a plague? Don't grow susceptible plants. Gardenia, jasmine, bleeding heart, plumeria at times, are all targets. Interestingly, bower vine doesn't seem to be bothered by any insect so far (having said that, a swarm of flying piranhas will probably come strip it clean). So.. grow bower vine, plumeria, bromeliad, begonias. I have never had trouble with white fly and the big, juicy leaves of my begonias. The thick leaves of the bird-of-paradise host white fly seemingly without consequence. So, banana and heliconia would probably be safe as well.
Feeding day. Mix used: guano/fish, soil acidifier / iron, and SuperThrive, who knows what if anything Superthrive does, but I love all of the hyperbolic claims on the retro lable.
The croton and gardenia are responding very well to the light dash of acidifier in their tea. The leaves are deep and glossy- as pretty as any flower.
Still in high spring bloom. I am happy with the variety of colors now. Yellow, coral, purple, magenta, white, pale blue and the pink of the begonias- still in bloom.
It's been sunny for the past 5 or so days. A good watering in was due to all.
We sustained the first thunderstorm of the 2012 season. The scent of fish was washed away.
Some of the plants respond well to a protective systemic douche. Plumeria does and once treated stays that way for a good long while. (Plumeria leaves will begin to curl when irritated, a healthy plumeria leaf is a glossy, with slight waves along the edge). Systemic poison does nothing to protect the wiry duranta. An important and obvious gardening axiom -- a healthy plant is always able to defend itself against insects more successfully than one that's stressed. I have begun to pay more attention to the watering and feeding of the duranta and it no longer snows when I rustle its branches.
The Vietnamese gardenia has had intermittent issues with new growth being sucked dry by the flies. Right now, it's leaves are as glossy as I've ever seen a gardenia and it has had a good bloom period. I noticed today one spot of new growth covered in the fat little suckers. I had the great pleasure of smearing them between my fingers. It was very satisfying- and I'm not one to take pleasure in gratuitous violence toward insects. I wonder if feeding the shrub a mixture of Superthrive, fish/guano emulsion and soil acidifier (iron + minerals) might not be to the insects liking so much.
The potato tree has been dropping leaves, I can't tell whether it's a fungus or white fly. White fly can pass disease.. I don't think it a fungus due to over-watering as the transpiration of the colossal leaves on this thing must drink up a good deal on a sunny day, which we've been having regularly now for 3 months. Keeping it well groomed seems to make a big difference with this big boy. It's looking perky now after a good watering in.
What to do during a plague? Don't grow susceptible plants. Gardenia, jasmine, bleeding heart, plumeria at times, are all targets. Interestingly, bower vine doesn't seem to be bothered by any insect so far (having said that, a swarm of flying piranhas will probably come strip it clean). So.. grow bower vine, plumeria, bromeliad, begonias. I have never had trouble with white fly and the big, juicy leaves of my begonias. The thick leaves of the bird-of-paradise host white fly seemingly without consequence. So, banana and heliconia would probably be safe as well.
Feeding day. Mix used: guano/fish, soil acidifier / iron, and SuperThrive, who knows what if anything Superthrive does, but I love all of the hyperbolic claims on the retro lable.
The croton and gardenia are responding very well to the light dash of acidifier in their tea. The leaves are deep and glossy- as pretty as any flower.
Still in high spring bloom. I am happy with the variety of colors now. Yellow, coral, purple, magenta, white, pale blue and the pink of the begonias- still in bloom.
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| Food+water+sun+love = happy plumeria! |
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| Miniature bracts tightly massed along branch White bleeding heart right background. |
It's been sunny for the past 5 or so days. A good watering in was due to all.
We sustained the first thunderstorm of the 2012 season. The scent of fish was washed away.
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