Help! Icky pests on my urban parsley!

[ucanahdooit]

Hi All,

I recently started a mini herb garden that is located on my windowsill inside the apartment. I went to water my parsley today and found that there were little white things on it. Didn't know what they were. Took a closer look, and saw that some were moving, and it looked like the ones that weren't were probably eggs. These things are basically off white in color and super tiny. they almost look like dandruff flakes. Do you know what they are? Do you know what I should do? Should I throw out my parsley now? I tried drowning the parsley and figured that I would post here before throwing away as that seems drastic.

Thanks!

Rebecca

[Jemon]

The advice given is sound, but I think what you have are not aphids or spider mites, but whiteflies.

http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2006...

There is a product that I like to use that is okay to use on food and have it safe to eat by the next day. I don't remember the name but they have it in every Home Depot and OSH that I know. Check around.

[ucanahdooit]

thanks! i ended up throwing it out because despite my treating it the plant started to die, and the little buggers started coming back again and again. :(

[Jemon]

You know, there are some things that can't really be grown because they are TOO attractive to the local bugs. I can't grow lemon balm and cilantro, despite them being my favorites because of spider mites loving the balm and aphids loving the cilantro. I can spray them every day, and then miss one day and it's infested! Maybe the parsley is like that for you. The whiteflies in my neighborhood are too attracted to my roses to bother anything else. Pest control is really difficult when you want to eat the crops and feel safe! :)

[ucanahdooit]

Thanks for making me feel better Jemon! Haha. Stupid bugs, I was pretty bummed. I call the plants "my guys" and had a little attachment to them so it was sad letting one of them go. Ah well, that's life I guess.

Good luck with your guys!! :) thanks again.

[Jemon]

:) For sure! I was pretty sad to see my lemon balm go for the third time...before I quit trying to grow it. Who am I kidding though...I will probably try growing it again! Maybe indoors! Good luck with the rest of your guys.

[morwen]

Could be aphids and/or spider mites. They're the most common pests to attack indoor plants. They can spread to your other herbs so you might want to isolate the parsley. Try spraying with a couple of drops of dish detergent mixed into a pint of water or get an insecticidal soap spray from your local gardening center. Both are safe to use on food plants. I'd spray all the herbs with it as a precautionary measure and keep the parsley by itself until you're sure the bugs are gone or until you have to ditch the plant. You may have to do repeated sprayings until the problem is under control.

[toodie jane]

if the plants are small enough, you can just douse them in a tub of soapy water, rather than spray. Secure a small plastic baggie over the pot and the soil with a rubber band, invert and swish the plant through the soapy water. Shake the excess off.

In the future, if you can buy your plants at a regular nursery where they've been outside for a while, it may make a difference. Herbs grown in a greenhouse are much more tender and liable to have insect populations when you buy them. I'm speaking from some years experience in retail horticulture, seeing 3" potted herbs come in from greehouses and from outdoor growers.

[ucanahdooit]

thank you both! will try that! stupid aphids! I miss eating my parsley and am quite grossed out by this.