New and Unread Tree-Mails
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Western Australia  Kawaiian17 Apr 2, 2018 8:57 PM CST |
| This Hardy White has a mealy bug infestation. I mixed some nail polish remover, liquid dish soap and water and sprayed it until it was soaked. However today I noticed that the leaves had been damaged from the liquid dish soap (not the nail polish remover, as I have used it before with no damage). I want to get rid of the mealy bugs, what should I do? Should I wait a few days for the leaves to heal? I will definitely only use the nail polish remover next time.     |
Name: Daisy I Reno, Nv (Zone 6b) Not all who wander are lost    DaisyI Apr 2, 2018 9:14 PM CST |
| Hmmm...if your nail polish remover is like our nail polish remover, you are treating your plants with acetone (paint remover), that can't be a good thing. Also, I don't see any mealy bugs in any of your photos. Are you sure you are still dealing with mealy bugs and not the aftermath of acetone? Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming...."WOW What a Ride!!" -Mark Frost President: Orchid Society of Northern Nevada Webmaster: osnnv.org |
Western Australia Kawaiian17 Apr 2, 2018 11:38 PM CST |
| Thank you for your reply Daisy, here are some photos which show the mealy bugs and the damage. In the second photo there are some white smudges on the stem where I manually removed the fuzzy things the bugs make. I have checked the nail polish remover and it says that it is acetone-free.   |
Name: Big Bill Livonia, Michigan (Zone 6a) Orchids, peace and beauty              BigBill Apr 3, 2018 12:50 AM CST |
| I agree with Daisyl. It certainly isn't the water that is causing the damage. It more then likely is not the dish soap unless it isn't plain old soap without some frilly thing added for fragrance. If you used almost pure dish soap and very little water and it some how smothered the plant, that is possible. The nail polish remover, whether or not it has acetone is the likely suspect agent. Whatever is in it that allows it to be effective in removing nail polish can not be good for a plant. Rodney Wilcox Jones, my idol! Businessman, Orchid grower, hybridizer, lived to 107! |
Western Australia Kawaiian17 Apr 3, 2018 1:16 AM CST |
| Thank you Bill. I will not be using the nail polish remover again. I'll try using canola oil next, on a small part of the plant first to see what happens. Is it safe to spray the plant so soon after the leaf damage or should I wait a few days? |
Name: Suzanne/Sue Sebastopol, CA (Zone 9a) Sunset Zone 15             |
| Best way to remove them is with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Many people use q-tips to dab on the alcohol, and I've read that a spray bottle works quite well. Check often and respray in a day or two if you don't get them all. https://www.succulentsandsunsh... I would think oil would smother the plant. My gardening Blog! Handmade quilts, face masks, new & vintage fabrics in my Etsy store. Summer Song Cottage Instagram Sewing posts |
Name: Big Bill Livonia, Michigan (Zone 6a) Orchids, peace and beauty BigBill Apr 3, 2018 4:45 AM CST |
You can spray anytime using that mixture. Good luck and good growing!  Rodney Wilcox Jones, my idol! Businessman, Orchid grower, hybridizer, lived to 107! |
Name: greene Savannah, GA (Sunset 28) (Zone 8b) I have no use for internet bullies!           greene Apr 3, 2018 6:40 AM CST |
| Most non-acetone nail polish remover contains ethyl acetate which does not seem like a good thing to spray on plants. A small amount of 70% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swap is what most people use to remove the insects. It might be wise to allow your plant some time to recover before trying anything else. Sunset Zone 28, AHS Heat Zone 9, USDA zone 8b~"Leaf of Faith" |
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