Expert: C.L. Fornari - 4/13/2007

Question
After the last summer, I kept my Hibiscus plant in my house where it can get much bright light and sun light.  It is doing good, but now it is full with white small bugs.  I don't know what type of bugs they are, but I really want to treat these bugs without killing plant.  I started growing my vegetables in the house now these bugs are getting in to my vegetable plants as well.  I have used indoor bug spray and it didn't help.  I have also sprayed soap water and nothing seems to be working.  Please give me affective tips.

Answer
Krishna,
If they are very small white bugs it's probably whitefly.  The good news is that it will get much better when you put the plant outside again - In the meantime, I'd do the following:
1. Take a soft cloth and a bowl of room temperature water that has a few drops of soap in it - gently use the cloth to wipe off the tops and UNDERSIDES of all the leaves. (underneath the leaves is where the bugs hide and breed) Rinse the cloth in the water after wiping three or four leaves.
2. See if you can find the combination of insecticidal soap and NEEM in your garden supply store - one brand is called K-Neem, but you might find others available.  Oil from the Neem nut stops insects from feeding, and the soap smothers them.  Don't put the plant in direct sun after spraying however - keep it indoors for awhile because if the plant is outside the neem and soap can burn the plant.  If you can't find the neem and soap, use plain insecticial soap, spraying tops of leaves, undersides and stems.  DO THIS EVERY WEEK FOR THREE OR FOUR WEEKS so that you get the eggs and stop the cycle.
3. In your garden supply store you should be able to find Whitefly traps - these are yellow sticky cards that trap the bugs.  These alone won't cure the problem, but they do help.
4. When you put the plant outside again, wash the plant by spraying a steady stream of water on top and underneath the leaves.  

Many people cut their hybiscus down at this time of year anyway, in order to keep it full and bushy - you can cut the longest stems down by taking a quarter to a third of their length off. Begin fertilizing lightly after you cut it down.

I hope this helps!
C.L.