Texas Gardening: Texas Coffee and Gardening in the AM...Sept. 23 to Oct., 1 by Tomatoholic

Tomatoholic wrote:
Crow, I'm so glad my step mom's concoction is starting to work. So...I've never had mealy bugs before and I think I have them on my huge basil bushes. They get into the Vs of the upper portion of the plant and there is a gooey, white substance...as if it were white snot (sorry to be so gross) and then there are these little 1/8" to 1/4" long oval shaped bugs in the snot substance. Are those mealy bugs? Or do I have another problem? I used Bug-b-gone b/c I had no idea what it was and I sprayed and sprayed until the gooey gunk washed off and then I direct sprayed the oval shaped bugs that were hidden in the goo. And that seems to have stopped them for now. If it isn't mealy bugs, then what is it?

Then I was trimming back some other stuff and I found a really weird bug(s). Little 1/8" sized, pure white and fuzzy. At first I thought I had a bunch of fuzzy things on the underside of the leaves, but then as I looked closer, I saw these things walking and moving. They fly, btw. I sprayed the tar out of them with Bug-b-gone too. what in the world are those?

Bubbles, do you have a day that would be good for me to come down and get some cuttings this or next week?

Connie, oh my...how gorgeous!! Thank you so much for taking these pics. And I'm so jealous you got to meet Ex pres and Barb. Cool beans! Who has taken over your classroom while you are away? ;) Will you have a disaster on your hands when you return? Do the children get unruly when their teacher is away?
I don't have a clue what that berry picture is, but wow, is it gorgeous.

Belinda, my step mom says to spray mealy bugs with a concoction of Dawn (or whatever you have) liquid soap, water and alcohol. If it doesn't work right away, add more rubbing alcohol. I've never had mealy bugs as far as I know....I suspect I might have them now....

Does anyone know what works on spider mites. Those are the devils that eat up my tomato plants and my marigolds, etc.

Here is a pic of some Cherokee Purple maters that are going to be yummy if they have time to become big and ripe. I have lots on there but hard to see them when they are green and small amongst the leaves.

Michelle