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Re: Bugs


>I bought several plants from the gardening store about 3 or 4 weeks ago,
and
>I discovered a few days ago that one of them, a Swiss-cheese plant, is
>infested with little white round buggy-looking things that seem to be
>attached to the leaves and stems.   Also two or three of the leaves had
been
>eaten up.
>
>I pulled off the leaves that had been eaten and drenched the rest of the
>plant with a liquid soap insecticide.   There doesn't appear to be any
>further damage, but the little white things are still there.
>
>Will the insecticide get rid of everything, or do I have to pull them all
>off individually ?  Or should I just take the plant back to the store for a
>refund ?  I don't really want to do this if I can save the plant, as it was
>a special price and would be really good value if I can keep it healthy.
>Any other suggestions ?  I have about 60 indoor plants of various sizes,
>some of which I have had for many years, and they don't have any bugs on
>them, although I am a bit concerned these may spread.
>
>Thanks.


If this is foliar mealy bug and it sounds like it might be you have to get
rid of the white patches as the young,  which are invisible to the naked
eye, hide under them.  The best thing I've found is to scrub them off with a
small paint brush or Q-tip dipped in 50/50 mixture of isopryl rubbing
alcohol and water .  I've even used the 70 percent alcohol full strength on
orchids without damage.

They will certainly spread to your other plants and be almost impossible to
clean up on plants with many leaves.  I wonder if that's why the plant was a
bargain?  <G>

Good luck.

Ruth  Z
email: rzavitz@execulink.com
Freelance writer and gardening consultant zone 5/6 southern Ontario
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