Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Precious Rubber plant ridden with mealy bug advice needed

cblacklercblackler Posts: 2
in Problem solving
I re-potted a rubber plant which had suffered scorching etc in the greenhouse and took it in the house in a warm and light location.  The plant developed really well with new shoots and leaves and looked really healthy. Then I noticed on the lovely new leaves a white furry substance which turned out to be mealy bug.  I immediately put the plant outside and sprayed it with water. The white stuff disappeared but I left the plant outside anyway only to see that the leaves were becoming just skeleton leaves where only the veins remained. There are some good leaves still. Can I just cut out all the diseased stuff and hope it does not return or does it have to be the end of the road.  I have a sentimental attachment to the plant and would not like to destroy it altogether, but I would not be averse to repotting it again and hoping the mealy bug is well and truly gone.  Is this feasible please ?

Posts

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited October 2022
    The mealy bug is probably still there, all you have washed away is the "meal".  Search for the bugs and deal with each individual with a cotton bud dipped in meths.

    Don't hope, act.  Good hunting.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    It is really hard to get rid of mealy bug. If the plant means a lot to you I would go over it inch by inch, every few days. A spray with water won't have fixed it.
  • cblacklercblackler Posts: 2
    Thank you all so much for your advice.  I will adhere to it and let you know the progress.  I feel better already knowing that there are people who I can turn to and that my plant can have that chance.  Thanks. 
    Chris.
Sign In or Register to comment.