How to get rid of mealy bugs and pests on my plants?

Cleaning leaf

Why is my plant infested?

Dear plant friends,

Pests and mealy bugs can be a common problem for plant owners, but there are ways to get rid of them and keep your plants healthy. However, before we get into the solutions, let’s understand why these pests and bugs infest plants in the first place.

Pests and mealy bugs are attracted to plants that are stressed or have poor health. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as improper watering, over-fertilizing, or not providing the right amount of sunlight. Once these pests and bugs infest a plant, they can cause damage to the leaves and stems, and can even kill the plant if left untreated.

Mealy Bugs

Spider Mites

Scale

Remedies

Before starting with remedies, it is important to separate your sick plant from the healthy ones in order to avoid the spread of the pests. Afterwards, we recommend to shower the infested plant with high water pressure to remove as much of the pests build up as possible. Finally, let’s discuss some solutions for getting rid of pests and mealy bugs from your plants:

  1. Neem Oil: Neem oil is a natural insecticide that is safe for use on plants. To use it, mix a few drops of neem oil with water in a spray bottle, and spray the solution on the affected plants. Repeat the process every few days until the pests and bugs are gone.
  2. Isopropyl Alcohol: Isopropyl alcohol can also be used to kill pests and mealy bugs. Mix equal parts of isopropyl alcohol and water in a spray bottle, and spray the solution directly on the pests and bugs. Be careful not to spray the solution on the leaves or stem of the plant as it may cause damage.
  3. Natural predators: Encouraging natural predators such as ladybugs, lacewing, and parasitic wasps can help control pests and mealy bugs population.
 
The pests won’t magically disappear after 1 or 2 applications of the remedies. You would need to treat the plant every 2 days until the infestation ceases. The pests and mealy bugs could be gone after a week, like it could take a month or more to get rid of. The time it takes to get rid of them depends on the severity of the infestation and the consistency of the treatments.
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pexels-dominika-roseclay-5462207

Remedies

Before starting with remedies, it is important to separate your sick plant from the healthy ones in order to avoid the spread of the pests. Afterwards, we recommend to shower the infested plant with high water pressure to remove as much of the pests build up as possible. Finally, let’s discuss some solutions for getting rid of pests and mealy bugs from your plants:

  1. Neem Oil: Neem oil is a natural insecticide that is safe for use on plants. To use it, mix a few drops of neem oil with water in a spray bottle, and spray the solution on the affected plants. Repeat the process every few days until the pests and bugs are gone.
  2. Isopropyl Alcohol: Isopropyl alcohol can also be used to kill pests and mealy bugs. Mix equal parts of isopropyl alcohol and water in a spray bottle, and spray the solution directly on the pests and bugs. Be careful not to spray the solution on the leaves or stem of the plant as it may cause damage.
  3. Natural predators: Encouraging natural predators such as ladybugs, lacewing, and parasitic wasps can help control pests and mealy bugs population.
 
The pests won’t magically disappear after 1 or 2 applications of the remedies. You would need to treat the plant every 2 days until the infestation ceases. The pests and mealy bugs could be gone after a week, like it could take a month or more to get rid of. The time it takes to get rid of them depends on the severity of the infestation and the consistency of the treatments.
pexels-artem-podrez-4492099
neem oil

How can I avoid this in the future?

Here are a few things to do in order to prevent pests and mealy bugs from invading your beloved plants:

1. Give your plants regular showers. Not just watering the soil, but showering the foliage and leaves with some water pressure, in order to remove any dust build up or the start of a pest infestation.

2. Keep an eye on your plants regularly and address any issues as soon as they arise.

Overall, by keeping your plants healthy and addressing pests and bugs early on, you can prevent them from becoming a bigger problem.

Hope this helps & happy plant curing!

~Love, from your friends at My Rooftop is Green

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