Cottony Cochineal: Homemade tricks to eliminate it and keep it from coming back
Although we love our plants, proper maintenance is not a simple thing, it requires a lot of care. Pay attention to irrigation, drainage, compost, but also protect them from insects and pests that attack them.
It is one of the most harmful insects called cottony mealybugs, its appearance is similar to aphids. It is easy to identify because it is a sucking insect that adheres to the leaves of plants and absorbs the sap in a devastating way.
In addition, it has an oval shape, which has light colors and is surrounded by silk (cotton) that protects them, and also covers and protects their eggs. They appear in large numbers and leave brown excrement on the leaves. You can always see them on the back of the leaves of any type of plant.
Here are some home tricks to remove cottony mealybugs from your plants.
Alcohol and cotton
This method must be applied quickly , moisten a little cotton with alcohol and pass it through the back of each sheet.
The important thing is to detect the problem, it must be eliminated immediately without leaving a single one alive.
Bar soap and cotton
Another highly effective trick is to substitute alcohol for bar soap, put it in a container with warm water and soak a piece of this bar soap inside.
When we see that the water turns into a viscous liquid due to the same effect as soap, it will be time to water the plants. This procedure should be repeated every 7 days.
Garlic and water
This method consists of using 75 g of garlic, we remove the skin and crush well. Then we place it in a container with hot water and let it rest until the water cools, once ready we pour it into a plastic container with an atomizer or spray. Finally, with everything ready, we can spray the plants and repeat every 3 days.
Tips and Advice:
As a first step, let’s regularly check the back of the leaves, because it is precisely there that the pests are lodged.
Once we identify the pests, we must immediately apply some method mentioned above. It is the only way to combat insects and pests. In addition, the infected plant must be moved away so that they do not become infected.
Also, it is important to periodically apply organic fertilizers, with the aim of preventing the appearance of the cottony mealybug.
Irrigation is fundamental, but we must be careful not to overdo it or lack it. Let us remember that if the irrigation is excessive, it will encourage the appearance of mealybugs.
Finally, another highly effective trick is to place 6 cigarettes in a container of water. We let it rest for at least 2 hours, and then we start watering the plants, precisely with this liquid obtained from cigarettes in the water.
