I start this thread as a proposal for anyone to help me with my huge mealy issue.
I know Michaelcactus just posted a thead about this but I want to have all angles and methods covered here.

In my eyes this is pretty bad. I don't have many cacti, in my green house there are maybe 500 - 600 which are made up of my best mate's and my plants.
The issue started with Copiapoas, Turpinicarpus, Mamms and stuff like that. It's at the point now where they have hit what feels like most of the 2 inch and 9 cm pots (which is most of them).
Its so bad that I'm now finding them on the tips of a lot of the Trichos.

When I was at a meeting at the society someone mentioned using a product called Wetasoil with is designed to help soil retain water. In this case it was described as being used to spray directly onto the mealy which is ment to strip away that white coating they have and kill them. This worked for a lot of the non-severe cases. I also thought it might be good as a non-systemic solution as once they're in the roots, they plants can't consume anything for the chemical to work. Obviously there is the risk of using a chemical which helps soil retain water with some mexiacan cacti, go figure.

Someone also suggested the idea of using rogor but in a different way. Soak the pot up to the soil level over night. The idea is that the mealy have no choice but for them to take in the chemical there for killing them directly. The idea is that this would work for a plant with a infestation even if the root system isn't active.\

I finshed doing the last option today. I hope it makes a difference.
Please, does anyone have any other ideas because if this doesn't work I'm not sure what I'll do.

Just throw them all away maybe, who knows. lol.

Well MEALYS SUCK.
I havent got rid of myne, nor have i tryed as ive been in Melb. I came home and noticed alot of them are feeling it. I dont remember reading that Rogor method, i might have to try it.
Do i have to dilute it Kanje?

Try 15ml per 5ltr.

I only know one sure fire way to kill mealy bugs...... its goes a little like this. *poke* *squish* *poke* *poke* *die* *squash* *poke* *kill kill kill* *poke* *poke* *squish* *poke* *poke* *die* *squash* *poke* *kill kill kill* *poke* *poke* *squish* *poke* *poke* *die* *squash* *poke* *kill kill kill* *poke* *poke* *squish* *poke* *poke* *die*

I do this EVERY day....I look in every tiny crack and crevice. I also do the same with snails, im proud to say the size of a local snail in my yard is no bigger than one centimeter... I will destroy them all.... *Mwuahaaaawoooohahaha*

Though your solutions sound alot more effective than mine. They are so hard to get rid of. I think you really need to do a cerimonial cleanse every 2-3 years while re potting destroy ALL signs then a while after follow through with a good blast of some harsh chem such as rogor. then follow the old destroy on sight with any that arrise again....

You can definetly get rid of them...but it can be a bit tricky.

Imidacloprid (active in confidor) is a very good systemic for all Mealy bugs. Buy the concentrate and mix it up a little stronger than recommended. Cacti, from my exprience handle the extra strength easy.


Also sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth (DE) over the plant and soil surface, it will greatly/completely reduce the numbers above ground...they hate the stuff.

Good luck.

Mealy bugs - old way is to use some light garlic spray - even with some black ground pepper.

nyum, nyum, nyum... Sounds like a mini soup stock...

I've been trialling used coffee grounds and have sprinkled it onto the soil on the worst affected plants. I rigourously follow the search and destroy method with small paintbrush dipped in metho and water. works well. I used Confidor every couple of months and especially if Im going away for more than a week. once a year now I do a full immersion routine with the confidor that comes in the tube. a stronger version of the spray on Confidor. Neem Oil was mentioned in a post earlier this year and Ive tried that recently. is a safer option and the mealies think they are full and so die of starvation. need to be aware of the forcast temperature for the day or the plants can get sunburnt after using the neem oil. presently I'm increasing the air circulation through out the poly house as the stillnness seems to promote their numbers. just need to be watchful for the devils and get them early. also check under the pots that have any sort of rim, even the smallest rim will harbour them.

Thats awesome Gracie. There are some really helpful new hints there that I might try out.
I'll let you know how it goes.

I don't think garlic spray would work too well for root mealies.

Root mealies are a very serious problem and can be extremely difficult to remove from collections. They really seem to cause alot of damage and the damage can be done before it's even noticed that there is an infestation.

I would opt for a more harsh chemical solution as mentioned earlier in the thread for root mealy bugs. Visible ones on the above ground/soil parts are alot easier to deal with because they can be seen and dealt with promptly.

Damn root mealies did some damage to a couple of my larger Arios, they seem to like to attack Arios because they are so slow growing and are an easy target.

Well i went to bunnings and bought some Rogor insecticide which comes in a can, so im going to dilute it in water and sit the pots in a tray filled with the solution till theyre soaked right through.
I have a feeling 15ml per 5 litres wont be enough, so i might try a bit more, maybe 25? But what its too much?

So anyway, i grabbed some Rogor and most my cacti are sitting in a tray soaking up the mixture. I put 20ml to every 5 litres. But now im not sure because, does it matter if my plants are takeing up water, it wont poison them will it?

Michael,


All of the cacti I have used rogor on in the past have been fine. Now is the best time due to the plants being in active growth. Yes the plant will absorb the chem along with the water it is suspended in. Just so long as you don't mix it up too strong it should be ok.



Also, I totally agree with trig on the garlic, pepper, chili etc sprays. They will NOT have any effect at all on root mealy and I doubt common mealy bugs will mind all that much. I would think the said sprays would be a deterant rather than a cure.