Soon the time will come and you can harvest aromatic, red tomatoes from your own cultivation. But what is that? Apparently someone is still looking forward to the delicious vegetables and is fighting you from the start to enjoy them. Whiteflies are all too fond of nesting on tomato plants and feeding on their parts. It is therefore important to recognize an infestation at an early stage and to take the appropriate measures.
Tomatoes are particularly susceptible to whitefly
symptoms
- White animals on the underside of the leaf
- Ascending swarm of flies when touching the plant
- honeydew
- Black spots and mottled leaves
Unfavorable location
Outdoor tomatoes are less affected than greenhouse cultures. Only humid and very wet summers increase the risk that whiteflies will also visit your vegetable plants in the bed. This is because the pests prefer warm temperatures and high humidity. A greenhouse therefore offers ideal conditions in which the parasites reproduce on a large scale.
Prevent
It is well known that knowledge is power. So if you know how whiteflies live and what attracts the pests in particular, you will be able to recognize an infestation at an early stage. Prevention is the best way to prevent major damage.
Therefore, check your tomatoes regularly for the signs mentioned above. Be sure to pay attention to the underside of the leaves, as this is where the little animals gather most often.
You can already take preventive measures when planting your tomatoes. By keeping sufficient planting distance, you maintain good air circulation.
You may also introduce whitefly larvae yourself. Sometimes there are some eggs in store-bought potting soil. Avoid this mishap by disinfecting the soil beforehand.
treatment measures
If you were not able to prevent the infestation, the following measures will help:
- Changing climatic conditions
- yellow boards
- Natural predators
Changing climatic conditions
Ventilate regularly to ensure that the air in your greenhouse does not become stuffy.
yellow boards
These are sticky yellow colored films that attract white flies. When they come into contact, they stick to it.
Natural predators
The parasitic wasp proves to be particularly useful. It is completely harmless to your plants, but feeds on the whiteflies.