root mealy bug on Streptocarpus
Quick answer
If your Streptocarpus has root mealy bug, the most likely cause is: Root mealy bug is named as one of the three main pests that Streptocarpus Cape Primrose is prone to, and the same source explains that root mealy bug occurs mostly on older plants that have been standing around in the greenhouse for a long time, with the bugs infesting the roots within the soil and sheltering in pot gravel.
Start here:
- 1. Detect root mealy bug by removing the plant from its pot and inspecting the roots; bugs will usually be found nibbling away at the roots with a covering of what looks like very fine snow on and around the roots.
- 2. Eradicate the infestation by drenching the potting mixture with a malathion solution, soaking the soil thoroughly to reach the bugs feeding on the roots below the surface.
Why Streptocarpus gets root mealy bug
Streptocarpus
Root mealy bug is named as one of the three main pests that Streptocarpus Cape Primrose is prone to, and the same source explains that root mealy bug occurs mostly on older plants that have been standing around in the greenhouse for a long time, with the bugs infesting the roots within the soil and sheltering in pot gravel.
How to reverse root mealy bug on Streptocarpus
- 1
Detect root mealy bug by removing the plant from its pot and inspecting the roots; bugs will usually be found nibbling away at the roots with a covering of what looks like very fine snow on and around the roots.
- 2
Eradicate the infestation by drenching the potting mixture with a malathion solution, soaking the soil thoroughly to reach the bugs feeding on the roots below the surface.
Keep root mealy bug off this Streptocarpus
Repot Streptocarpus regularly into fresh potting mixture so older plants do not stand undisturbed in the same compost, and keep greenhouse gravel staging clean so root mealy bug cannot migrate from pot to pot through the damp gravel.