A Brief Discussion on the Control of Root Mealybugs
An introduction to the topic of flower clinic, discussing the prevention and control of root mealybugs, some valuable tips and knowledge, it is recommended to save for future reference!
Root mealybugs are a type of scale insect, also known as mealybugs. The eggs live in white fibrous powder, and their bodies are also covered with white powder, which makes it difficult for moisture to penetrate. This is the variety that most gardening enthusiasts often encounter. They absorb the sap of plants, some living in the roots and some on the leaves, thriving in dry environments, making the entire summer a season of泛滥 for root mealybugs. Sempervivum plants are particularly susceptible to root mealybugs, and the leaves can quickly become infested.
They may look terrifying, and many gardening enthusiasts might discard the entire plant, but having mealybugs is quite normal, and they can be dealt with effectively if approached correctly.
Many beginner enthusiasts, who love beautiful Sempervivum plants, often fail to notice the infestation until the leaves are covered with white insects. By then, the pest problem is already widespread. Gardeners who cultivate succulents have likely experienced root mealybug invasions, and it is impossible to eradicate them completely. Therefore, I will first discuss how beginner enthusiasts can detect root mealybugs.
In general, a healthy plant in a normal growth state has a full and robust appearance, and the moisture level is manageable. If a plant's surface appears lackluster or different from usual during normal growth, it is time to pay attention. The correct approach is to repot or check the leaves. Different plants require different inspection methods to determine if they have root mealybugs. Sempervivum plants are usually easy to detect in the early stages of infection, as they crawl from the roots to the leaves. The pests are initially small, white, and about 0.5 millimeters in size, growing up to 2.5 millimeters.
Gardeners should pay attention to the back of the leaves while watering, as the infestation can often be detected early. This mealybug is easy to control with abamectin or professional insecticides. It is usually diluted into a light white solution and sprayed on the entire plant. After 2 to 3 treatments, the pests can be killed. Sempervivum plants can also be sprayed with abamectin to prevent infestation when they are free of pests, with no harm to the plant.
The white specks are mealybugs, densely packed.
Sempervivum plants are usually affected by mealybugs on the leaves, and careful observation can lead to early detection. There is another situation where mealybugs appear on the roots, which is not easy to detect, especially for beginners. Even experienced gardeners can miss them if they are not careful.
For example, cacti and tuberous plants. Because the large bodies of these plants do not change much visually after infection, they can appear healthy. In such cases, prevention is key, such as changing the soil every 1 to 2 years to detect pests early, and消毒 the soil before use. I usually sunbathe the soil and then bury furadan. Gardeners with the means can use high-temperature disinfection.
Furadan is effective in the soil for 3 months, and it should be buried again after 3 months. This treatment usually prevents root mealybugs, so it's not surprising that pots are changed every few years. Regularly applying a diluted abamectin solution to the roots can also effectively prevent infestation.
Next, let's talk about the root mealybugs in the Aizoaceae family. These plants are now quite common, and many gardeners have them. During the entire summer, the season of high mealybug activity, infected plants do not become饱满 and lively after watering, showing little growth. This usually indicates a root mealybug infestation (except for newly potted plants that have not grown), and checking the roots will reveal the presence of white fluffy powder.
The treatment at this point is to wash away the white fluffy substance, disinfect the soil with high temperature, or change the soil and bury furadan or other soil insecticides. Aizoaceae plants should be repotted and their roots pruned every year to detect root mealybugs early.
For larger clumps of Aizoaceae, it is important to take full soil precautions, regularly burying furadan or other soil insecticides, and also applying abamectin to the roots periodically. Annual root pruning and repotting are the best preventive methods for Aizoaceae plants.
Below are some plants I specifically photographed from a greenhouse. In summer, almost all Sempervivum plants are infected with mealybugs, and because greenhouses are difficult to manage, an outbreak affects all plants in the greenhouse.
I spray the entire plant with a diluted emulsion of abamectin. Generally, 2 to 3 applications can kill all mealybugs on the soil surface, and those in the soil are killed by root drenching.
The highly effective insecticide I use shows significant results. It is usually available at local agricultural protection stations, and gardeners should be careful not to purchase counterfeit products.
The above are some tips from me, for everyone's reference. I hope that other gardeners can also share different methods. The mealybug introduced in this article is one of the easier types to control. In the future, I will introduce the prevention of waxy scale insects.
This article shares the content related to the prevention and control of root mealybugs (with pictures and text), hoping it is helpful to you!