Attack of the White Flies

October is the best month ever. Well, since I was born in it, it is. lol I love when the season really starts to change and the weather begins to cool off. It may not be snowing, but a week of rain is like a vacation to a rain forest is this inhabited desert. While I have been enjoying the comings and goings of rain, I've been consumed with the survival of my starter garden.

Unfortunately, I've had my first run in with white flies. I had NO idea that the tiny white bugs flying around in my starter garden were the little destroyers I've been reading about. They are SO small! I pondered that they could be the white fly, but wondered just how much damage could those tiny little things cause. Especially since I could barely see them. I let time go by and kept a close eye on my garden. Then one morning, my tomato plants were nearly dead! I thought, what the heck. It couldn't of been those little buggers! After I had a discussion with my mother, who is much more experienced at gardening, she informed me that it's white fly season. Oh. So those tiny white things did caused all this damage! There was just a small handful of them and WOW, they are not nice.

I brought my garden inside and got rid of all the flies I could. The garden is doing much better, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose the hybrid tomatoes. :(

I transplanted the gold bell peppers because they have started rooting into the pod and running out of room. I transplanted one of four without the pod. I was curious how it would do. As I took the pod off I could hear roots breaking. They are now outside...under the patio covering. I'm happy to report, the white flies have not found them yet. I'm planning on putting the plastic bottles over them to help them get though the winter. The "winters" in my city are a joke. It's really cold...sometimes. So, I'm not too worried about losing them. As a matter of fact, the sun is shining right now. Even with the threat of a 20-70% chance of rain. lol

Enjoy some photos of my progress. (and unprogress. lol) ;0)

Barely alive hybrid tomatoes.


Transplanted Pot of Gold Bell Peppers.


Tomato hopefuls and thriving Jalapeno.
See how damaged the leaves are. Curse you white flies.


A ray of hope. The lettuce I thought would never come in...2 tiny sprouts.
Jalapeno and Cauliflowers.

White Fly Regards,
Monica ;0)