Although they may seem harmless, whiteflies can actually be very dangerous to your plants. They are a type of pest that is difficult to eradicate and only about 2mm in length. Whiteflies suck liquids out of plant leaves and secrete a sticky substance called honeydew, which causes black mold to grow on the plant. While this slows down the photosynthesis process of the plant, the real damage is done by the 100 different kinds of viruses whiteflies can carry and transfer into plants. These viruses can cause growth disorders and distort plants and fruits, eventually causing them to stop yielding fruits and stop growing altogether.

Once the virus is inside the plant, it is virtually impossible to fix. Uprooting and disposing of the infected plant is often the only solution as the virus will multiply inside the plant and infect other plants. One solution to this problem is to grow plants inside greenhouses with 50 mesh type nets. These types of nets are impenetrable to whiteflies.

Don’t let whiteflies damage your plants! Keep them healthy and strong with these helpful tips.