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Thyme problems...now white fly???

I am having real problems with one patch of my garden ..and it has gone on for a couple of years...

Latest problem is my thyme plant doesn't seem very happy (again!) when I touched it a cloud of tiny white flies fly off - I can't see them very well - infact I thought at first it was loose leaves flying up ...if that makes sense...there is a spiders web but that doesn't seem to have caught any of them!!

I think they are white fly ...but I thought white fly didn't like thyme - in fact have read somewhere (online) thyme is a deterent plant...!

If it is white fly I intend to spray with (Ecover) washing up liquid...unless anyone has any better ideas???

Also would something cause a plant to be more susceptible to white fly (eg plant is weak through lack of nutrients etc - like mildew) ) or is it just one of those things?

In this patch of garden I have had a kind of mildew which killed off my rosemary, I managed to save my thyme and a white ground cover plant (can't remember its name) by adding compost and nitrogen...the mildew seems to have spread to another area attacking my established English lavender...also treated with nitrogen...looking a bit happier now - don't know if the problem is some well established shrubs were removed but some of the roots were left in the ground ...wondering if the decomposing roots are taking the nitrogen out of the soil....image

 

 

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Thyme and lavendar need growing hard to be fully hardy. Too much nitrogen and moisture will make them soft. The aphids will love it and plants will suffer in winter.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Sorry not replying sooner - did tick the e-mail me thing but haven't seen an email - will have to investigate my junk folders etc...

    So basically soil might be too rich?

    Guess taking the shrubs out stopped robbing the soil of nutirents? And water...

    But I would say the soil isn't in good condition ...and putting some compost on top of the Thyme and my white ground cover did seem to make them perk up quite a bit...guess now they won't make it through the winter?

    Getting close to thinking I should just give up with that area and replant ...

    (A few years ago ny neighbours were overlooking the fact that it is always a bit overgrown/unkempt and saying how lovely it was - the bright white ground cover, the pink thyme flowers - and the smell from the thyme, rosemary - with my lavendar and marjoram in the next plot- was beautiful)

    What I don't understand is just behing these plants is a pink gernaium which is and has always been really happy ...

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Geraniums can take a lot more good feeding than the mediterranean type herbs. 

    Frustrating. you do your best for them and they don't  appreciate your efforts



    In the sticks near Peterborough
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