Do you like kohlrabi? It is so delicious and healthy and should definitely not be missing from your menu. Kohlrabi is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, niacin and folic acid. It also contains potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. What's better than enjoying your own healthy vegetables? But what if your kohlrabi becomes infested with pests? When the whitefly (also called cabbage scale insect) attacks kohlrabi, the plant gets yellow leaves and does not develop well. Don't worry, because fortunately there are effective remedies for whitefly on kohlrabi. Here we will show you the best home remedies and give you simple recipes to help you get rid of the pestscombat naturally.
What are whiteflies in the garden
They are white animals about 2 mm in size that sit on the underside of leaves. Their larvae are white to transparent and immobile. In severe infestations, they leave the leaf surface sticky with honeydew and the leaves can yellow, wilt and die.
What damage does the cabbage scale insect cause to kohlrabi?
The whiteflies suck the sap from the leaves and this weakens the plants. They form sticky honeydew,where mushrooms settle, which also lead to damage to the plants and fruits. Whitefly can destroy the entire crop.
What to do about whitefly? If an infestation occurs, it is important to act quickly. Here we provide some effective solutions on how to fight the pests effectively as well as effective preventive measures you can take.
Prevent mass infestation by hand
Check your vegetable beds regularly and act immediately if youan infestation with pestsnotice. If you want to combat cabbage white fly, you can simply remove the affected leaves immediately. Do not compost such leaves to avoid bringing the pests back into the garden.
Use parasitic wasps against whiteflies
If you want to get rid of whiteflies, you can use parasitic wasps. The insects lay their eggs in the whitefly larvae, preventing a new generation. You can get parasitic wasps commercially in the form of fly larvae glued to cardboard cards. Simply hang these cards on the kohlrabi plants and the parasitic wasps will do the rest of the work.
Insect traps against whiteflies on kohlrabi
The sticky insect traps are a good remedy against whiteflies and other pests. They are easy to install. Simply place them between the kohlrabi plants and soon many pests will be caught in the sticky film on the panels. Do not use yellow boards and beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps together!
Homemade control agents are recommended (recipes)
What helps against whitefly? Homemade insecticides can also be helpful for controlling whitefly, which you need to reapply every 5 to 8 days to catch all development stages!You have to get the leavesSpray from above and below until dripping wet so that a good result can be achieved. If you use home remedies to combat whitefly, you can save a lot of money and protect the environment from chemicals. Here are some simple recipes for homemade cabbage scale repellent:
You can fight whiteflies with rapeseed oil or orange oil
Control products based on rapeseed or orange oil are a good way to get rid of whiteflies in the garden. The oil prevents the insects from receiving sufficient oxygen and causes them to die. Canola oil products also destroy the pests' eggs.
Neem oil against whiteflies on kohlrabi
An environmentally friendly and extremely effective control is to use neem oil against whiteflies. Neem oil contains the active ingredient azadirachtin, which is absorbed by insects when they suck on the plant juices. Neem oil prevents whitefly larvae from developing, gradually reducing the population. To make one quart of all-purpose neem oil spray, mix the following:
- 5 ml Neemöl
- 2 ml liquid soap
- 1 liter of water.
First add the soap to the water and then slowly stir in the neem oil. Spray the affected plants thoroughly.
To make soft soap solution by mixing:
- 1 liter of water
- 1 tablespoon soft soap
- 1 splash of alcohol
Spray onto the plants repeatedly over a few days.
Tobacco broth helps against pests on kohlrabi
You can mix the remains of smoked cigarettes with water, leave it overnight and then spray the plants. The measure must be repeated!
Place Micandra plants among the vegetables
Some gardeners swear by Micandra plants to kill whiteflies. However, this is a poisonous plant, it self-seeds and can overgrow the garden.
Prevention is better than cure
Take countermeasures in good time to prevent an infestation with these annoying pests.
- Plant protection nets offer quite reliable protection. It is best to use very fine-mesh nets (0.8 mm). It is important that you attach the nets beforehandthe plants have been attacked, otherwise you will have pests under the nets. The nets must be well closed. Leave the nets on the plants until harvest and leave no gaps.
- An important precaution against whitefly in the garden is to thoroughly remove weeds.
- Pay attention to balanced fertilization - avoid too much nitrogen fertilizer.
