Over the last two weeks we have had many people call the Garden Clinic Helpline with a white powder on their Agapanthus and complaining of
What do they look like? Mealy bugs are small oval shaped insects covered with a soft white mealy coating. Some have white hairs attached to their bodies. They are usually covered with a coating of white powdery wax. Mealy bugs thrive in warm, moist conditions and tend to congregate in protected places under leaves, where leafstalks join the main stem and below ground.
Heavy infestations can occur on citrus trees, daphne, indoor plants and other ornamental plants. Orchids and ferns, especially in shadehouses, can become infested too. During winter, indoor plants are especially susceptible in rooms with heaters. They may also attack bulbs in storage and the roots of some plants such as polyanthus, liliums and callas.
What do they do? Mealy bugs are one of the leaches of the plant world. The suck the sap from the plant weakening it and They can also be a vector of plant viruses and diseases.
Can we live with them? No. Mealy Bugs control should be administered immediately once you have found them. They can quickly grow out of control and can be hard to treat, especially when on the roots of potted plants.
How are they controlled? Confidor or Maxguard can be used. They are both available in a ready-to-use formulation is best for soft plants in a shadehouse. This also applies to indoor pot plants. For root-infesting mealy bugs, drench soil with spray strength Confidor.
Organic Control? Eco-Oil is useful on plants where you eat the leaves eg. kaffir lime but will need regular treatments.
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