How Do I Treat Whitefly On Gardenia?

Whitefly

Almost every yard in the south has at least one gardenia. Planted by generations of gardeners for their exotically fragrant white blossoms, these tough evergreen shrubs are salt tolerant, drought tolerant, and deer resistant. One thing they cannot resist is the tiny whitefly. These petite pests cause gardenia leaves to turn yellow and drop from spring through fall.  Plants may also appear dark or sooty. If this describes the gardenia in your yard, you should check it now for whitefly and determine if treatment is needed.

On some bushes, whiteflies never seem to get out of hand. This is because their populations are kept in check by beneficial insects, including ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps. If you find whitefly on your gardenia but it is otherwise healthy with lots of clean, green leaves, you probably do not need to treat. In fact, applying pesticides can disrupt the balance between beneficial and pest insects, causing the pest insects to become the dominant species.If treatment is needed, options for controlling whitefly include applying organic and synthetic insecticides. Learn more: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2013/05/how-do-i-treat-whitefly-on-gardenia/