Pest Control on Succulents
Hi everyone,
I have an otherwise healthy and rapidly growing string of tears plant that appears to have what Google has told me are aphids. I’m not sure where these came from as I never noticed them before now, and none of my other plants appear to be affected. What is the best way to get rid of them?
I have an otherwise healthy and rapidly growing string of tears plant that appears to have what Google has told me are aphids. I’m not sure where these came from as I never noticed them before now, and none of my other plants appear to be affected. What is the best way to get rid of them?
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@SincereComet Hello 👋 and welcome to Greg, Grace. @AnthuriumQueen may have some great advice for you.
Hi Grace, welcome to Greg!
The first thing to do is isolate the plant so the rest of your plants stay pest-free!
Then, give the plant a shower. Depending upon this size you can do it in the sink, shower, etc. It will help get a lot of the ick from the bugs off before you start cleaning.
Then, take a solution of water and Castile soap and clean the entire plant. This is most easily done with a spray bottle and q-tip or towel. Since a string of tears has so many little parts you may just want to spray until it's dripping off instead of trying to wipe every little bit. The soap will kill the bugs on contact.
You can also try dipping a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and dabbing the insects directly. This is a more targeted approach, but is one you want to do with caution as it can burn the plant if it's placed under bright light without drying.
If they fly you can add yellow sticky traps.
Be sure to treat your plant every few days for a few weeks, then once a week for a few more weeks, until you haven't seen any bugs for another couple weeks.
Good luck!
The first thing to do is isolate the plant so the rest of your plants stay pest-free!
Then, give the plant a shower. Depending upon this size you can do it in the sink, shower, etc. It will help get a lot of the ick from the bugs off before you start cleaning.
Then, take a solution of water and Castile soap and clean the entire plant. This is most easily done with a spray bottle and q-tip or towel. Since a string of tears has so many little parts you may just want to spray until it's dripping off instead of trying to wipe every little bit. The soap will kill the bugs on contact.
You can also try dipping a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and dabbing the insects directly. This is a more targeted approach, but is one you want to do with caution as it can burn the plant if it's placed under bright light without drying.
If they fly you can add yellow sticky traps.
Be sure to treat your plant every few days for a few weeks, then once a week for a few more weeks, until you haven't seen any bugs for another couple weeks.
Good luck!
Isolating the plant is best. In the sink to start and pick off as many as you can unless you just want to suffocate them to make it easier. I use a mix of 20 ounces of water with one quarter cup of non-degreaser dish soap. Shane it up and spray the plant to saturation. Not the soil. Just the leaves. Wait a three minutes and spray them off as best as you can. You’ll have to treat every two days but it works. It’s almost spring. These pests are either dormant in the soil or flew in to give you grief. Either way, there’s nothing you did to cause their arrival. J must keel treating until they go away and don’t return. During treatment, try to make sure you tip the plant on its side to avoid overwatering it during this time. It works and depending on the infestation, they should be gone within a week or so.