I am going to try spraying for mealy bugs using a mixture of alcahol, dish soap and water. Can anyone tell me if it's safe to put this on plants when the temps are still in the low 90's? I hope someone sees this early and responds, because I want to spray them this morning, if it's safe to do so. I'd hate to fry them in trying to save them. This infestation has been horrible this year. They've killed a number of my plants including six different five foot tall copper plants, several salvias, some pentas and a turk's cap. I'm losing the battle!
Spraying for mealy bugs
I had wondered how it was going with your plants, if I were you I would wait till afternoon.
Josephine.
Thanks so much Josephine for the quick response. Just in the nick of time!
Crow, I've had a problem with those too. I tried the dish soap, then went to insecticidal soap, finally went to the big guns....horticultural oil. They have some now that can be used in the growing season and I'm finally killing them. Good luck!
Fly, what's the name of the horticultural oil you used that worked? I've used the Bayer systemic soil drench that someone told me to try, but it's not even slowing them down. I put it on the affected plants and all surrounding ones several weeks ago, but the bugs are still spreading. I don't like using chemicals, but this is a dire situation since I think they're going to wipe out the entire garden! I'm going to try the alcahol, soapy water this evening, but I'll get the oil, just in case.
It's in the organic section at Lowe's, where the worm castings and molasses are. It's called Lilly Miller Year Round pesticidal oil. It's 96% Canola oil with no petroleum products. Mix exactly or a little less because it burned some of my brug leaves, not bad but noticeable. It can be used in the dormant or growing season. It worked on my mealies, they croaked.
Thanks Fly, I'll look for it at Lowe's. I wonder if just canola cooking oil would do the same thing???
Wonder what the remaining 4% is?
Willis, I don't know what the remainder is, but if I pick some up this weekend, I'll let you know.
The 4% says it's 'other ingredients'.