Plant Doctor Archive

Mealy bugs

HELP! What have I done to deserve an infestation of mealy bug in my garden soil? It seems to be a patchy problem - potatoes and the roots of brassicas and broad beans are affected sometimes - but it is enough to be very disappointing. I have even had some in the flower garden.

THERE is nothing worse than finding mealy bugs on the roots of your plants. They are so invasive and get in everywhere that you think it is near impossible to get rid of them. You can try drenching the soil with Yates Orthene. It is registered for potatoes and brassicas and can be used by drenching the area with a solution of chemical as directed on the back label on the bottle. Use a watering can to apply and leave for a few hours before drenching the soil with plain water to wash away any chemical sitting in the soil. If the infestation is bad then you may have to try this a few times, and in the wintertime you may have to treat with Yates Basamid granules for sterilising the soil.

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH.