Mealybugs often appear on houseplants and are particularly annoying on cacti or orchids. In order to remove the annoying tenants, it is not just patience that is important. The choice of home remedy decides between success and failure.
How to remove mealybugs from plants?
To effectively remove mealybugs, you can collect them, spray them with a spirit solution, use soft soap or use plant spray made from garlic, nettle or oregano. Repeat the measure regularly until the plant is free.
How to remove mealybugs:
- Collecting: effective method at the beginning of a pest infestation
- Spiritus: to combat stubborn plant sap suckers
- Soap: as a milder alternative to spirit
- Plant manure: simultaneously support plant he alth
Collect
In the early stages, this method is the most effective measure you can take with houseplants. Large-leaved orchids in particular can be easily cleaned with a cloth. Use a cotton swab for mealybugs that hide in inaccessible areas such as leaf axils. Cut off parts of plants with obvious signs of damage and dispose of them. This allows the plant to recover faster. Place the affected plant in a bright place with normal humidity to prevent re-infestation.
Spirit
Mix ten milliliters of denatured alcohol with one liter of water and spray the affected parts of the plant with this one percent solution. You should brush sensitive plants such as orchids instead. If the mealybugs come into contact with the agent, their protective outer skin dissolves. The alcohol penetrates the organism so that the lice die. To increase the effect, add the same amount of paraffin oil.
soft soap
A mixture of soap and water is a little less aggressive. Add about 15 grams of potassium soap (€17.00 on Amazon) to one liter of lukewarm tap water. Potassium lye attacks the pests' protective shell, causing them to dry out. In the case of an acute infestation, repeat the measure every two days until there is an improvement.
Plant cessation
For a garlic manure you need 50 grams of garlic cloves. The basis for a nettle broth is 200 grams of fresh herb. Make a broth of oregano with 100 grams of fresh leaves.
Preparation
Pour a liter of boiling water over the product of your choice and let the brew stand for about an hour. After it has cooled, strain out the plant parts and pour the liquid into a spray bottle. You can spray these broths directly onto the colonies every two days. The products also have a plant-strengthening effect.
