As spring and growing season is fast approaching, bugs and pest pressures also resurface with the warm weather. Dormant eggs of common houseplant pest, such as mealy bugs, come out of hibernation and can almost hatch and infest your houseplants seemingly overnight.
That is such the case of what happened to my Hoya Carnosa Tricolor, aka Krimson Queen. When we got a sudden spring like weather, I opened the windows when I just watered my plant. With the combination of moisture and warm temperatures, I inadvertently invited mealybugs to infest my beautiful plant.
But not to fret, there’s easy, organic, and quick remedies that can be taken to get rid of mealy bugs.
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
- cotton buds
- hydrogen peroxide
- filtered water
- spray bottle
- fungicide or neem oil
- paper towel
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step one is to immediately isolate the plant so it won’t infect your other houseplants. Put it in a place that has a lot of light and airflow.
Next, mix one part of hydrogen peroxide to two parts filtered water in a spray bottle. Spray cotton buds before each use with the solution. I recommend spraying as to not contaminate the solution by accidentally double dipping in it with a used cotton bud.
Gently wipe off each mealy bug with the cotton bud that has been sprayed with hydrogen peroxide solution. This will make it easier for the mealy bugs to grab on to the cotton buds and not drop on the soil. The hydrogen peroxide also acts as a disinfectant as you remove each mealybug.
This process can take some time, so patience is key, but I honestly found the process oddly satisfying. The mealybugs have very soft bodies, so they almost pop immediately upon contact with the cotton buds.
If mealy bugs do accidentally fall on the soil, do try to carefully remove it if visible. You can also later on remove the top soil before you flush the soil, which you will do right after you get rid of most if not all mealy bugs with the cotton buds.
Bring your plant outside or in your bathtub to spray the leaves with the remaining hydrogen peroxide solution and pour the rest into the soil. This will ensure any eggs that might have fallen into the soil will get killed. Removing the top soil will also help.
Continue to flush the soil to get rid of the hydrogen peroxide and other unwanted stuff in the soil with filtered or tap water. You will need at least three times the amount of water you use when you normally water your plant. In order to make sure your plant doesn’t get overwatered, let your plant drain thoroughly and do not let it sit in water.
After draining your plant, spray it with fungicide, making sure to concentrate on areas that were heavily infected. If using neem oil instead of fungicide, dilute it with filtered water according to instructions in the bottle.
Keep the plant in isolation for a few days and up to a couple of weeks until you are confident the mealy bugs are gone and there’s little to no chance it infecting your other houseplants. Spray the plant with fungicide everyday for three days straight or whenever you see mealy bugs pop up back again.
MY WASTELESS LIFE 