How do I get rid of a bad infestation of Mealy bugs on a couple plants?
How do I get rid of a bad infestation of Mealy bugs on a couple plants?
Mealy bugs?
0 Likes70%rubbing alcohol with cotton balls front and back of every leaf, the tight areas use a qtip. I would spray the plant off with nozzle really good first then use the alcohol. To be even safe I would repot in fresh soil if your infestation is bad. Spray the heck out of the plant with neem oil then ISOLATE this plant for a while until the issue is solved. Spray plant every 7 days after this. I would keep my plants sprayed as a preventative every 7 to 14 days.. good luck
3 LikesThe follow up, as Yolanda suggested, is extremely important. My definition of a bad mealy bug infestation is finding maybe 10 on a plant. That is rare for me. Usually one or two now and then. As a preventative, use Bonide systemic every two months. I’m doing mine now. That’s probably why I have so few. I don’t spray the plant with neem. And wow does that stuff stink! I use insecticidal soap instead. I damaged some very good plants with neem. And before anyone says, I didn’t place them in light until dry. Mealy bugs are easy to get rid of. But it takes persistence.
1 LikeWhat is an ‘insecticidal soap’ and ‘Bonide systemic?’ Im new to plants and am really trying to learn all I can. Do you have a picture of what they are?
0 LikesI get both from Amazon. I also add silica to the fertilizer. I’ll add pics when I get a chance.
0 LikesHere you go. Silica is especially good for highly variegated plants. Helps the white leaves last longer. It supposedly supports the plant by making it stronger and fight off pests. The systemic is available in a larger size and much much cheaper than this small size. But the odd thing is that it says for “outdoor plants” even though the formula is exactly the same. I have a lot of plants so I buy the larger size.
0 LikesI haven’t tried the insecticidal soap. Do you spray and leave on your foliage? Neem does stink but I have just gotten use to it now. When I don’t want to tolerate the smell I just use my systemic granules
0 LikesYes I also put the systemic granules in my plants soil and spray all of my plants with the neem oil as well. You could never use too much to keep the pest away. The key is consistency 🙂
0 LikesThey’re alcoholics!!! Rubbing alcohol that is.
1 LikeI hate that i laughed at this
1 LikeThis was mine, when I took it out of the pot, I noticed the soil was covered. I had no way of getting rid of it and threw out the plant. I was very worried about the other plants it was next to, so I had to isolate them away from each other for 1-2 months. Be careful when using rubbing alcohol- recently I had to do this treatment on my money tree and I did not rinse my leafs well enough and my plant is currently having a hard time bouncing back.
0 Likes