Question
Mr. Mascio,
My wife and I have a small apartment patio garden - Potted plants. We have started to notice some new visitors to our vegetables (tomatoes, chili peppers and basil) and would like to find and organic solution to rid them.  We are seeing a large amount of white flies on the tomatos. What can we do to rid these little guys from our plants?  My wife suggested soap but she also noted that the soap can cause burning of the leaves.  I can't easy spray them off with water since we live on the third floor and I am sure our below neighbors wouldn't care to have water run-off from the patio. Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

Answer
Arnold, my recommendation is to use an oil spray. These products are organic and will suffocate all existing whiteflies and their eggs. I always apply it as a dormant spray on bushes and evergreen plants in late winter, and on my vegetable plants as soon as they begin to flower in late spring. You can continue using it as needed according to the instructions all through the growing season if needed.

Gardens Alive, an on-line garden product company, sells several excellent organic sprays including Oil Away and Pyola. Both are just as effective, and can usually be applied throughout the growing season. Just follow the directions on the bottle.

Attached are the websites for each product. If you prefer, you can purchase similar products at your local garden center or nursery.

http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=2340&ss=Oil%20Away
http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=8101

By the way, you can use an insecticidal soap. These products are made specifically for vegetables and houseplants, and will not burn the foliage. Attached is another link for this product.

http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=2816&ss=insecticidal%20soap

Good luck, and please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike