Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Get Rid of Whiteflies on Hibiscus Plants
How to Get Rid of Whiteflies on Hibiscus Plants. Whiteflies are the bane of many gardeners and plant lovers. They seem to spread overnight and getting rid of them is no small task. But be encouraged. There are several tips you can apply to get positive results for your hibiscus plants.
Whiteflies are the bane of many gardeners and plant lovers. They seem to spread overnight and getting rid of them is no small task. But be encouraged. There are several tips you can apply to get positive results for your hibiscus plants.
Things You'll Need
Ivory liquid and bar soap
Plastic bags
Hose with sprayer attachment
Sponge
Identify whiteflies as the problem on your hibiscus. Whiteflies are tiny insects with waxy, yellowish bodies and white wings. They usually congregate on the bottom surfaces of leaves. According to University of California Integrated Pest Management, hibiscus are a host plant for the giant whitefly. This variety is about .19 inch long and has gray mottling on the white wings. They can turn hibiscus leaves yellow and brown quite quickly and leave waxy spirals on the leaves.
Check to see if you have spiderwebs around your plants. If so, leave them alone. Spiders will eat the whiteflies, but they have no interest in bothering your plant. Some types of ladybugs, including Asian ladybugs, feed on whiteflies on outdoor plants. If you decide to try ladybugs, they can be ordered. Be sure to specify your problem so they will know how best to serve you. Call your local extension office to find out if there are more biological remedies for whiteflies in your area.
Remove the adults. First, gently remove any badly damaged leaves and discard. Removing leaves is an effective way to eliminate a high number of whiteflies, according to California IPM. Do not leave in them in your bedding area. Close them up in a plastic bag and dispose of them. Use a damp sponge to clean off all the leaves, checking carefully underneath each one. You will need to do this for several days. Remove adults from stems as well. As a backup, after you've used your sponge to remove as many adults as possible, use a forceful sprayer on your hose to wash them off. This process should be done early in the morning so the hot sun doesn't scorch your plants.
Carefully spray the entire plant, top side and bottom side with a solution of liquid Ivory soap and water. Leave it for the day. After the sun goes down, repeat the process. You can use a bar of Ivory soap to cover thick stems. The next day, repeat the entire process, beginning with removing adults and spraying off the plant thoroughly, and applying soapy mixture twice.
Cut back to once a week on the entire process, after a week of daily treatments. If you still have a problem, you should contact your local nursery to get advice on possible organic products. It might come down to using pesticides, but with daily perseverance you greatly improve your odds against it.
