You walk out to water your tomatoes. As soon as you brush against the leaves, a tiny cloud of white insects suddenly takes off into the air. If you've ever seen what looks like a miniature snowstorm coming from your plants in the middle of July, you've probably met whiteflies. These tiny sap-sucking pests may be small, but when their numbers grow, they can weaken plants and make a healthy container garden struggle. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬? Whiteflies are tiny, winged insects that are closely related to aphids. Adults are only about 1/16 inch long, with powdery white wings that give them their name. They spend most of their lives on the undersides of leaves, feeding by piercing the plant and sucking out its juices. When disturbed, they take flight all at once—often making them much easier to notice than to catch. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐚𝐭? Whiteflies enjoy many common garden plants, including: 🍅 Tomatoes 🌶️ Peppers 🍆 Eggplants 🥒 Cucumbers 🌿 Basil and other herbs 🌺 Hibiscus 🌸 Geraniums 🪴 Many houseplants that spend the summer outdoors Warm weather and sheltered patios create ideal conditions for them to thrive. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 Look for: ✔ Tiny white insects flying up when you touch the plant ✔ Clusters of whiteflies on the undersides of leaves ✔ Sticky leaves (honeydew) ✔ Yellowing or pale leaves ✔ Black sooty mold growing on the sticky residue Like aphids, whiteflies leave behind honeydew that can attract ants and lead to mold growth. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 Whiteflies feed continuously on plant sap. Large populations can: • Weaken plants • Slow new growth • Cause leaves to yellow • Reduce flowering and fruit production • Spread certain plant diseases Because they reproduce quickly, a small infestation can become a major problem in just a few weeks. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 Early action makes all the difference. ✔ Gently spray the undersides of leaves with a strong stream of water. ✔ Remove heavily infested leaves if practical. ✔ Use yellow sticky traps to help monitor adult populations.

Hoya plant is flowering like crazy!!

The lemongrass pictured here. It smells like lemons! All of these are my clearance babies i just brought home this week. 💖