Plants that are suffering from stress, especially water stress, are naturally more susceptible to whitefly infestations. ... What's more, dry conditions are naturally more beneficial for insects with piercing, sucking mouthparts, so whiteflies often flourish during periods of drought.

What is the cause of whiteflies?

As much as your plants like nitrogen-rich fertilizers, whiteflies like your nitrogen-rich plants and excessive nitrogen can cause frequent infestations! While nitrogen can boost the vitality of your plants, over-fertilizing your garden can attract whiteflies, leading to more frequent infestations.

How do I keep whiteflies off my plants?

Use a row cover (such as FastStart®) to exclude whitefly and other pests but allow air, light, and irrigation water to reach plants. Control ants by spraying or painting a 4” wide sticky barrier (such as Tanglefoot ®, Stickem ®, Tree Pest Barrier) around woody shrubs or trees.