I have TYLCV-Looking for some long-term advice.

[checkerkitty]

Hey everyone! This has been a learning year if ever there was one! I nursed a tomato plant in a container through the summer (since the poor thing made it through the compost of death by sheer luck) and had some nursery purchased transplants that I potted up but never planted in the the ground. I noticed some whiteflies hanging around and knew what would happen if they were infected. I let the transplants die and the container plant looks exactly like the pictures of TYLCV infected plants.

I know the virus can host in alternate plants. I'll admit, I've got a little weed issue in the yard right now that I can manage with a pair of leather gloves and some time. However, we have a few ornamentals hanging around and I'm wondering if I should destroy them as well. I have a few pots of begonias that I could empty without a tear. I also have some plants for starting a native bee/hummingbird bed, mainly salvias and lantanas. I've also got a large pot of french thyme that does have some whiteflies hanging around.

I've looked around for info on alternate hosts and I've seen a few plants listed here and there but nothing that I have planted as an ornamental in my yard. However, that doesn't mean they can't be carriers of the virus. I'm hoping for a hard freeze this winter to kill any buggies that may be lurking. I can handle the weeds myself. But what about the ornamentals? Anyone who has dealt with this issue, what have you done?

I'll be putting in some resistant/tolerant plants in the spring, putting out sticky traps and I'm thinking about making a mesh cover over a PVC frame for a few dwarf plants. I have lots of PVC! I maybe grasping at straws here, but I don't want to give up!

Christy