SHOP PRODUCTS
Houzz Logo Print
mojavebob

Mysterious IPM

mojavebob
14 years ago

With all the bad news passing through, I thought I would share a happy story. Four days ago I noticed some oddly sparkling leaves on Corno di Toro plants near several tomatoes.

On a side note Cal Wonder Bells, the Cornos and Serranos have been extremely productive here. Off a dozen Serranos I've harvested over 150 peppers and they're still going strong. They're almost a nuisance at this point and I wish I planted more tomatoes and less peppers.

So, on inspection the sparkling leaves reveal an advanced Whitefly infestation, eggs, little guys, mature flies, all of them going strong and moved in heavily on a couple plants while spreading to several others.

Phooey.

I inspected everything in the area and found some on the maters but mostly they were going after the pepper plants. I know it's just a matter of time before this gets out of control, but I've been too busy and lazy to do anything about it, besides give it lots of thought.

Spraying seemed like such a headache. Taking out the bad plants was my plan for this afternoon. Maybe I would spray something besides water later. I don't need extra peppers at this point.

So, I just went and checked out the problem area. The honeydew sparkling stuff remains, but some unidentified beneficial feasted while I contemplated doing something. I cannot find any eggs and just a few mature whiteflies in the deepest tomato foliage. I have skimmed one mature green lacewing from the pool, and I haven't seen a single ladybug this year. Any thoughts on who or what my friend could be? I was going to put sticky cards out to try and get the remaining adults, but decided to remain lazy since something else is on the job.

This was a happy discovery-- Mysterious integrated pest management. The two plants with the worst of it were droopy and sorry looking. They're nice and perky this afternoon.

If you prefer bad news, the grasshoppers who waged a world war with me this spring before vanishing left their children in my custody.

Comments (8)

0