The little buggers must like my soap spray because they became prolific- not to mention taking refuge and starting new colonies on two of my other Hostas- ugh! Apparently they lay their eggs in the soil and continue to hatch out.

In searching on Gardenweb, I found a post about earthworm castings being used successfully on hibiscus. This supposedly also acts as a fertilizer to the plant but the post indicated the most effective way to keep the whiteflies from "liking" your plant is through slow release ...using it as a top layer on your soil and as you water...its absorbed into the plant and whiteflies don't like the smell or taste. Has anyone tried this method on Hostas? If the crown sits above the soil level ( in pots), can it harm the crown if it covers it? How deep do you put it to get the job done without harming the hostas? How close to the shoots/eyes? Thanks.

And...to cover the topic ...any other tried and true options to get rid of these pests? Thanks.