Are the leaves of your plants deformed or pitted, yellowish or appear singed?
The cochineal may be to blame !
It is a parasite a few millimeters in size and usually white or reddish in color, which normally affects garden plants by feeding on their sap, but can also attack houseplants, succulents and entire trees.
Identifying it is not easy: in order to see these small insects, most of the time, you must use a magnifying glass. It is easier to notice their presence by analyzing the condition of the leaves.
There are several varieties, but the most common is the cottony mealybug, which produces a substance called honeydew. Molasses has a sugary consistency and can cover entire leaves.
This same substance can attract ants and promote the infestation of other parasites and fungi.
Cottony mealybug mainly attacks ornamental or citrus seedlings, but it is not said that you can also find them on other plants, especially if, on your balcony or in your garden, the plants are very close to each other.
Once infested with mealybug, you need to intervene quickly to save your plant and prevent it from dying.
Let’s see together what the best remedies are !
Marseille soap
To combat these annoying parasites, you can use an ingredient that will surely not be missing in your homes: Marseille soap.
Both liquid and solid Marseille soap are fine. In the first case, pour a measuring cup (about 30 cc) into a liter of water, in the second, immerse and dissolve a few flakes (about 20 grams).
Mix and pour into a spray bottle or vaporizer.
Spray the mixture on the plants, insisting on the most infested parts, in the afternoon. Repeat the process every 3 days.
Marseille soap creates a kind of patina that suffocates the parasite, quickly causing its death.
Important: make sure that the Marseille soap used is completely natural, to prevent chemical additives from damaging the plant.
Alternatively, you can also use propolis, pouring two teaspoons into half a liter of water and following the same procedure.
Denatured alcohol
It is a more aggressive method than the previous one, but very effective.
Pour a tablespoon of denatured alcohol into a quart of water and mix.
Put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray it three times a day every other day.
Alternatively, you can also clean the individual leaves with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol – this is a less practical but more accurate method.
In fact, the denatured alcohol burns the cochineal’s protective membrane and penetrates its body, killing it.
garlic and onion
A completely natural and very effective remedy !
Garlic and onion can be used in two different ways to combat the enemies of our plants.
The first way is to immerse 300 g of minced garlic or onion in a liter of water and spray the mixture on our plants.
The second is to plant bulbs, already sprouted, of garlic or onion at the base of the seedling that we want to disinfect.
In this way, in fact, there will be a kind of proximity protection thanks to the natural repellent action of these foods. Easy, right?
Flaxseed oil
Very effective also against mites and aphids, flaxseed oil is a real wonder against cochineal.
If you decide to use this product, simply dilute about 10 ml in a liter of water and wet the plant with the mixture using a vaporizer or soaked cotton balls.
Repeat the process once a week until the mealybug is finally gone.
Pruning
In the case of larger plants or trees, it is sometimes necessary to prune the plant strategically : in fact, you should be careful to prune branches or leaves so that the most infested parts are exposed to direct sunlight.
Although it develops mainly in the heat , in fact, the mealybug hates direct sunlight : so, in the most severe cases, you can take advantage of a natural and ever-present ally, the sun , to fight against unwanted guests!
Useful tips
Always take care of your plants, often rinsing their leaves, especially in the summer.
In fact, plain water is usually enough to separate the parasites from the leaf, slowing down the infestation!
Also, if there are ladybugs on your plants, don’t get rid of them! These insects are, in fact, antagonists of the mealybug and will help you defeat it.
Precaution
One of the many remedies often suggested online is to use white oil or tea oil against mealybug.
In fact, these two substances are capable of quickly eradicating the parasite, but in summer they should never be used because they prevent plants from breathing, often causing their death.
We remind you that it is very important to consult a specialist if the infestation is more serious.