Mealy bug issue getting out of control.

[I like plants]

Since the past year or so, I have baught many many plants. I am up to maybe 100-150. Some we had already. Saddly, since I baught some plants, mealy bugs are infesting some of tehm . I do have a good product that is called End-all. It works well.

My question is how do I control this? I don't want all my plants to be sick and die. I like them a lot.

For now, I found about 4 plants with mealy bugs. I know it isn't too much, but some of these plants were close to ohers. I think I did find the source. It was a cactus I baught in February. It always had little whit spots on it. I thaught it was normal until today I found a little mealy bug. The cactus is now issolated. But, I had other cactus beside it(the other I trew out because it did have mealy bugs). The other one that was beside it was my Lithops. They seem fine, but how do I really know they don't have mealy bugs? I want to make sure they are not sick.

Another issue is that I have to moove many plants. These plants are really healthy. I know since they are all green and happy. But, I have nowhere to move them. I don't want them to be in contact with other sick plants that I don't know of.

Sorry for the long post, I am just trying to take precautions since some of my plants are very old(25 years) and I love them.

[applestar]

I'm not sure if I understood your post properly, but I would agree that the first order of business is to isolate all plants with known mealybug infestation. If insufficient light is the issue, get some supplemental lighting (I like daylight CFL bulbs in clamp on utility lamps with aluminum reflector that you can get at big box/hardware stores or in auto repair isles).

For the plants that are apparently uninfested, regular close inspection under bright lights (shining the light side ways or behind leaves casts shadows that sometimes make it easier to spot them) and "showers" in the shower or kitchen sink (or outdoor garden hose if you live in a mild area) may help. You can also do this with strong sprays of water with manual or pump spray bottle.

Overall, just paying attention to each plants' needs (light, temp, water, humidity) and keeping them as healthy as you can is the best preventive. During the winter, it's important to situate the plants where they are most comfortable. There are micro-climates in your home -- not only light exposure (which you can adjust with supplemental lights), but temperature depending on downstairs vs. upstairs and floor level vs. counter-level vs. eye-level. Many plants are also in winter rest period and need less water and little to no fertilizer.

[I like plants]

Thanks for your post! It was helpful I did find the mciro climate for each plant section. In the window sill downstairs, there are succulents. Upstairs in the family room there are succulents, and mostly tropical plants and Streptocarpus. This is the same for the living room also.

Upstairs, there is this very old plant that is isolated. It is in my parents room. I always make sure it is fine. It is the only one in that room except for two other little streptocarpus that I started myself. So, no worries there. In the bathroom I have vines, a Orchid, Shceffleras and a spide plants. They all seem happy with the high humidity they have. In my sister's room there is a elephant's foot and a pencl stick plant. They all seem pretty.

I posted this to know how to prevent mealy bugs to attack my other plants.

Also, is a distance of about 15 feet good to isolate a good amount of plant for about a month or two from another group?. I need to move a certain amount of plants, since they are in the spot of where are Christmas tree is going.

[applestar]

Sounds like you're doing everything right.

I posted this to know how to prevent mealy bugs to attack my other plants.

Right. So the "preventive" part of my post was to (0) isolate the infested plants away from others -- 15ft sounds sufficient to me (1) keep other plants healthy (2) inspect frequently to catch and treat at first sign of attack (rubbing alcohol soaked cotton swabs) to keep them from "infesting," and (3) scheduled showers to rinse off the plants and knock off/wash away invaders (you can add dilute mild soapy water to this regimen if you like -- soapy spray, then thoroughly rinse in 5~10 min).

[Kisal]

Scale insects and mealy bugs are difficult to control, because they have a protective outer coating of a wax-like substance, which repels most things that could harm them. If your plants are not intended to be used as food, and they're all indoors and going to stay indoors for the coming couple of months, I'd use a good systemic insecticide. It's the simplest and fastest way to control a really severe infestation.

Since you consider the plants valuable/irreplaceable, it would be the best way to keep them from suffering major damage. Mealy bugs and scale insects are known to spread several different plant diseases. Once the plant is weakened by the insect feeding on it, it often is unable to survive the pathogens.

Insecticides don't always kill every pest that's on a plant, so you would still need to follow up with watchful, careful and consistent attention, treating any "survivors" with, perhaps, an alcohol-dipped cotton swab.

If you decide to try a systemic insecticide, though, read the label very carefully. Some plants don't tolerate them well, so the label should have a list of plants on which the product can safely be used. I don't have any on hand at the moment, so I can't check for you, but as I recall, ferns and palms that are most sensitive to systemics.

[I like plants]

Thanks a lot for all the rich information!

I just have a general insecticide from Safer's(Monsanto). I do check my plants a lot. Infact, I wake up every morning and look at them. If I see anything strange or not usuall, I take it to the kitchen and check ut out.

Plants for me are like children. You gotta take care of them daily and treat them with love.

[webmaster]

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30817