In my greenhouse, I have a battle going on with Mealybug. Mealy bugs are small insects about 1/16″ to 1/8″ long that have soft and well-developed legs. They bodies are covered by a powdery white wax coating that my also surround their egg masses. They attack leaves, twigs and roots. The Signs of a mealy bug include white wax deposits, sooty mold on foliage and lots of ants.
I have been doing alot of research this summer on the best organic ways to kill them. Since they are on my little lemon tree, I was concerned about using a systemic killer.
So, my method has been to spray a combination of neem oil and dishwashing soap on them once a week when I handwater my plants. I found this GREAT sprayer at Walmart that allows me to spray upside down, under and higher than I can reach. Also, I don't have to make a huge gallon at once. I just make enough to use at that time.
I have noticed a few days after spraying, I see a decline and it has eradicated them on my coleus completely. However, I am waiting to see if more frequent spraying is necessary since this last week I have seen an explosion of them. I will take pictures with an update after spraying today.
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