[Arid_gardener] Re: Whiteflies & Rooting Corn Plant

[Olin Miller]

----- Original Message ----- From: <shorty_pt at msn.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2007 4:19 PM Betsy Merkel 85375 shorty_pt at msn.com
> am having a terrible time with white flies on mu hibiscus plants.  I have
> tried all sorts of pesticides, but nothing seems to get rid of them.  Do
> you have any suggestions?  Also, i have a corn plant that is twlve years
> old and has reached the ceiling.  I cut off the top several feet, and put
> it in water.  I was told it would grow roots in about three weeks, but I
> do not see any roots coming.  This plant came from my Dad's funeral, and I
> don't want it to die.  Can you help me?
===============================================

It is the larva of whiteflies on the undersides of the leaves that cause the
damage to the plant.  They are usually controlled using insecticidal soap.
See
http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/t-tips/bugs/insecticidal%20soap.htm
and note the precautions so as not too to damage the plants with the soap
treatment.  Controlling the winged adults will not save the plants but can
help with population control.  One method is to place yellow sticky traps
near the target plant.

For rooting your corn poant, the method you are using should work but
nutrient demands of the top foliage may be slowing root development.  The
usual method is to cut cane sections with several nodes and lay them
horizontally in damp sand, see
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/hil-8700.pdf

Another method is to plant the cane cutting in damp sand with at least one
of the nodes an inch or so beneath the sand surface.  Remember to maintain
the original polarity (up end up)

Olin Miller, Master Gardener Volunteer, Maricopa County AZ