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Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

Every year near the end of the season, my lemon cukes get covered with what I think are white flies and all the leaves and cukes get covered with a sticky substance. What should I be using and when should I start using it. I can go pretty far into the season and use nothing at all, just near the end and then all of a sudden, whamo the whole thing is overtaken.

8/8/2008 12:30:42 AM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

Hey Eric, i have been wondering how your year is going? with any luck i may break 500 this year. It sounds like aphids, try and insecticidal soap.

Gary

8/8/2008 9:01:57 PM

Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

Thanks. Cool nights are my enemy but otherwise going fairly well. Not aphids but thanks.

8/8/2008 11:00:12 PM

ExtremeVegetables.com

The sticky black substance is there waste, other insect such as ants eat it. They introduce disease and other pathogens to the plant by chewing on the parts they like to eat and then dropping their waste where they are eating. The disease is passed on to the plant through their waste easily through the wound on the plant.
Whiteflies can be controled using the same basic pesticides as used on Aphids. SEVIN or the new EIGHT "which is less harmfull to Bee's will put a hurtin on em.
Safer's soap or the growers version M-Pede works well if used at least weekly. The added benefit to it's use is control of Powdery Mildew.
You could also introduce some beneficial insects, Lady Bugs, Parasitic wasp, etc.

8/21/2008 8:21:55 AM