Natural Remedy for White Butterfly.

mumstu, Feb 22, 2:49pm
Is there anything natural (as in not chemical) that I can use for white butterfly!

They are a real pest at the moment and I dont like to use chemicals in the garden when possible.

dibble35, Feb 22, 3:29pm
BT spray is natural/organic

bexter2, Feb 22, 5:20pm
plant mint between caulis

toxictanyia, Feb 22, 5:35pm
Where can you get this bt spray from. Any gardening shop

redhead96, Feb 22, 5:44pm
Fly swat , it's good exercise

macandrosie, Feb 22, 6:12pm
If you can make sure you keep the water up to your brassicas because when it gets a bit dry the plants are more vulnerable to insect attack! So give a good soaking either early evening or first thing in the morning.

wasgonna, Feb 22, 6:52pm
Derris Dust that has been used for years by home gardeners. Made from plant root extracts so as natural as anything.

squeaking, Feb 22, 7:13pm
Yes Derris dust, works realy well and non toxic

spiritofgonzo, Feb 22, 7:19pm
If you grow lettuce, blend it with lots of water, you can spray it on the brassicas and it disguises them.It really works.

canz, Feb 22, 9:47pm
Thats a really good hint, thank you

peter148, Feb 22, 11:37pm
electric fly swats, about $11 from Bunnings.

lythande1, Feb 23, 5:28am
Natural.what do you think a chemical is! Water is made of chemicals, air is made of chemicals.
A lot of products used for the garden are made from other plants.
Derris Dust contains rotenone, which occurs naturally in the seeds and stems of several plants, such as the jicama vine plant; and the roots of several members of Fabaceae. It is a chemical.
Pyrethrum, a popular insecticide (natural) comes from Chrysanthemums.
It's a chemical.
Read this for a list of "natural":

http://www.saferfoods.co.nz/chemicals.shtml

cantabman1, Feb 23, 7:33am
Ive found a good tennis rack does a good job.

cantabman1, Feb 23, 7:36am
To OP:
Plant African marrigolds aroung your brassicas, and the natural Pyrethrem given off by the plant will put off the buttiflies and bugs.

liamjosh, Feb 23, 9:15am
I use "No Caterpillars".It is an organic spray.Apparently it is a natural fungus that kills the newly hatched caterpillar once it hatches and starts to feed.It is really good, found it to be hugely successful.Am still using the same box I bought four years ago and is still working.

http://www.garden-nz.co.nz/tips-tasks-how-to/know-how/organic-no-caterpillars.html

r.g.nixon, Feb 23, 9:16am
You need to upscale. Tennis rackets are the thing!

mottly, Feb 23, 4:58pm
yep, tennis rackets - we must've got at least 100 today!I plant nasturtium's around my vege plots - they prefer them to the vege.but I can't help but kill them anyway!We've taught the dog and our cats to catch them too - they do a great job when we're not looking lol

mumstu, Feb 23, 6:28pm
Thanks for these suggestions.Will give some a go.Was down in the garden today and the poor veges are getting a hammering!

dibble35, Mar 20, 6:16am
Sorry for the delay in replying, you should be able to get BT spray at most garden centres/mitre10/bunnings etc. It is Bacillus thurengensis.spelling is probably wrong but not far off, may show up on google.