Plant Doctor Archive

Mealy bug on Clematis

I READ in WG107 about mealy bug. My two clematis were infested with them last year so I attacked the little beasties with a paint brush and methylated spirits. Pull the dirt away from the plants as far down as you dare and paint the stalks and then keep painting it on as far as the mealy bugs go. They don't like it one little bit and shrivel up and die in a very short time. I haven't seen any since. (Don't forget to push the dirt around the roots and stems again). If the orthene doesn't work, it's worth a try.

THANKS for the great tip about mealy bug. Meths is certainly an effective option for getting rid of these annoying pests.

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