Hardly anything frightens a plant lover as much as an infestation of their green plants with pests. Fortunately, the elephant's foot is quite robust in this regard. Every now and then, small animals like mealybugs appear here too.
How do I fight mealybugs on elephant feet?
To combat mealybugs on elephant feet, you can collect them or spray the plant with a mixture of water, spirit and curd soap. Preventive measures include a bright location and sufficient humidity. For large infestations, special fertilizer sticks containing pesticides are recommended.
How do I recognize a mealybug infestation?
When mealybugs are infested, the elephant's foot shows small white spots that look a bit like miniature cotton balls. They are so distinctive that they can hardly be confused with other pests.
Can I fight mealybugs with home remedies?
Mealybugs are considered to be quite stubborn. A few individual animals can be collected, but if they have already laid eggs, then the entire soil should be replaced. Make sure to also remove the soil between the roots, otherwise the annoying residents will soon spread again.
Be sure to isolate an elephant's foot with pests (regardless of what kind) from your other houseplants so that they are not also infested. Spraying with oil against mealybugs is often recommended, but if used excessively the oil can also harm the plant.
A mixture of one liter of water with 15 milliliters of spirit and liquid soap is also suitable for spraying the affected elephant foot. The curd soap can also be replaced with paraffin oil.
What works best against mealybugs?
Much easier than fighting with home remedies, perhaps more effective is the use of so-called combination sticks (€31.00 at Amazon). These contain fertilizer and a pesticide and are simply inserted into the soil of the affected plants. When you water your elephant foot, the active ingredients are distributed throughout the pot. Hardening off and a bright, not too dry location help preventatively.
Remedies against mealybugs:
- special fertilizer sticks
- collect (if the infestation is very low)
- Spraying with oil
- Mixture of water, spirit and soap
- Prevention: bright location with sufficient humidity
- Hardening off: spending the summer outside
Tip
So that your elephant's foot does not suffer from pests (again), you should ensure an appropriate microclimate. Light and air that is not too dry keep many pests away.
