Hardly anything frightens a plant lover as much as an infestation of his green fosterlings with pests. Luckily, the elephant foot is pretty resilient in that regard. From time to time, however, small animals such as mealybugs also appear here.
Mealybugs are just small white dots from a distance
How do I recognize a mealybug infestation?
When infested with mealybugs, the elephant's foot shows small white spots that look a bit like miniature cotton balls. They are so characteristic that they can hardly be confused with other pests.
Can I fight mealybugs with home remedies?
Mealybugs are considered quite stubborn. A few individual animals can be collected, but if they have already laid eggs, then the entire soil should be replaced. Make sure to also remove the soil between the roots, otherwise the annoying housemates will soon spread again.
Be sure to isolate an elephant's foot with pests (of any kind) from your other houseplants so that they are not infested as well. Spraying with oil is often recommended for mealybug control, but overuse can also damage the plant.
A mixture of one liter of water with 15 milliliters of spirit and liquid curd soap is also suitable for spraying the infested elephant foot. The curd soap can also be replaced with paraffin oil.
What works best against mealybugs?
The use of so-called combination sticks is much easier than using household remedies, and perhaps more effective. These contain fertilizer and a pesticide and are simply put into the soil of the affected plants. When you water your elephant's foot, the active ingredients are distributed throughout the pot. Hardening and a light, not too dry location helps preventively.
Remedies against mealybugs:
- special fertilizer sticks
- collect (if infestation is very low)
- Spraying with oil
- Mixture of water, spirit and curd soap
- Prevention: bright location with sufficient humidity
- Hardening: spending the summer outside
tips
You should ensure a suitable microclimate so that your elephant's foot does not suffer from pests (again). Light and air that is not too dry keep many pests away.