How to Get Rid of Whiteflies on Herb Plants

Overview

Whiteflies are small garden pests that are moth-like in appearance. As the name implies, they are white; and though they can fly, they are not classified as flies. They grow to to 1/20 of an inch and live and feed on the undersides of plant leaves. Adult whiteflies release a clear, sticky liquid called honeydew that causes a black sooty mold if left untreated.

Step 1

Spray the plants with an insecticide soap. Fill a gallon jug with water and add 2 tbsp. of liquid soap and 2 tbsp. of food-grade oil. Shake well to mix.

Step 2

Apply the insecticidal soap to the entire plant with a spray bottle. Saturate the plant, concentrating on the under sides of each leaf. Saturate a cotton ball or soft cotton cloth, if you prefer, and wipe down each leaf individually.

Step 3

Place whitefly traps into the plant's soil to attract whiteflies away from your plants. Whiteflies become trapped on the sticky surface, unable to escape. Replace the whitefly traps as needed.

Step 4

Spray the plants with insecticidal soap every other day for four to five weeks. Doing so kills of hatching whitefly larvae and prevents reinfestation.