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woolly aphid?
Lavande
Posts: 171
I have had the attached plant for nearly eight years now and I adore it. However each year it gets what I think is the dreaded woolly aphid and as the plant is now so big with various branches I risk damaging it (even if I could move it) if I try to take it outside to hose it. There are so many nooks and crannies where the white gunge just embeds itself. Is there anything I can do? It really is beautiful and has grown into its corner perfectly but I hate to see it infested like this.
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Lavande, try tieing a teacloth underneath the fork on the plant and place a newspaper or card between the plant and wall and gently spray close to the plant let the spray run down onto the aphids,the teacloth can catch the water ,Weak washing up liquid has saved many a plant for me. i dont know how to erradicate them for good,, good luck
As it's an indoor plant, I'd spray with Provado ultimate bug killer, which is systemic and will be absorbed into the plant so is guaranteed to kill them. Being indoors, there is no chance of the spray harming bees or other wildlife so I have no qualms about using it on pernicious pests on houseplants.
Thank you both very much - very different approaches and I will happily try both but the main thing is that you both sound positive and give me the impression that my plant still has a future and didn't gasp in horror at the state of it (well I didn't hear you if you did
).
Bringing the photo really close up, it looks like there are some white fly on there as well?. I always use the Provado indoors, it does work and is a reasonable price in the supermarket.
cheers Bob I think I will be getting the Provado sounds good for indoors
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Thank you Mike a once only solution would be very welcome! I just came on to say that I have just given it the washing up liquid and water treatment and I added some disinfectant too and put the mixture into a fine sprayer and have sprayed exhaustively into all the pockets and crevices where the leaves join. I wish I hadn't used a floral disinfectant though because it is a bit overpowering. I did go to the garden centres today for the Provado but they don't seem to stock that brand here so I should have asked what the active ingredient was so that I could get the French equivalent. Anyway, I'll see what it looks like tomorrow and I'll find out how to ask for methylated spirits in French - if that is a one off treatment I will be delighted. And yes you are right - what is time when it has given me so much pleasure over the past 8 years. It might not be evident from the photo but it is a beautifully shaped plant - like a piece of living sculpture.
You could try a more drastic solution - cut it down and take stem cuttings making sure that you wash and clean every one before striking into fresh compost with hormone rooting powder. That would get rid of your woolly aphid prob for good.
P.S. This particular indoor plant is easily propagated in this way. - lots of little plantlets in pots all free of woolly aphid.
Bruce i also have a few of these plants that i would like to take cuttings ,this type iv not done ,can you explain how to take cuttings from this plant,is it just one per stem type of thing Please,